Preparing Your Child for an Assessment Without Scaring Them
In our view, tell your child plainly what an assessment involves. We suggest you call it a way to find out how to help. To us, it is not a judgment of your child. We suggest you say you will help them understand the results. These steps are our own practice.
What we suggest before, during and after an assessment
This page is about an assessment where someone works with your child. We suggest you call it a way to find out how to help. To us, it is not a judgment of your child.
We hold no study of ways to prepare a child for an assessment. The steps on this page are our own practice.
Here are three ways to say it, in our words. Pick the one that sounds like your child.
- "This person wants to see how you do things, so we can help."
- "We want to find out what is easy for you and what is hard."
- "We want to see which skills are solid and which need more work."
In our view, ask the person doing the testing how many sessions to expect. A child may get tired partway through. We suggest you ask whether breaks are allowed.
Before an assessment, we suggest a good night's rest. Pack snacks and water.
In our view, talk about any worry your child has about being assessed. A worry may last past the testing day, or be strong. If so, talk to someone who works with children's mental health.
We suggest you ask the person doing the testing how results are shared. In our view, tell your child you will help them understand the results. Afterward, praise the effort they made.
Common questions from parents
How do I explain an assessment to my child?
In our view, tell your child plainly what an assessment involves. Here are three ways to say it, in our words. Pick the one that sounds like your child. "This person wants to see how you do things, so we can help." "We want to find out what is easy for you and what is hard." "We want to see which skills are solid and which need more work."
Should I tell my child it is a test?
In our view, tell the truth. To us, some parts may feel like schoolwork. Some may feel easy, and some may feel hard. To us, finding a part hard is not failing. We suggest you say the person wants to see how your child does things. This step is our own practice.
My child is anxious about being assessed. What can I do?
In our view, start by listening. Ask what worries your child, and talk it through. We suggest you say an assessment is about finding out how to help. To us, it is not a judgment of them. The worry may last past the testing day, or be strong. If so, talk to someone who works with children's mental health.
What should we do on the day?
We suggest a good night's rest before an assessment. Pack snacks and water. In our view, ask the person doing the testing how many sessions to expect. A child may get tired partway through. We also suggest you ask whether breaks are allowed. These steps are our own practice.
What do I say about the results afterward?
In our view, tell your child you will help them understand the results. Ask the person doing the testing how you will get the results. We suggest you praise the effort your child made. Remind them being assessed was about finding out how to help.