With Prince George experiencing a busy time at school with a series of very important exams to take, his mum Kate Middleton is making sure to check up on his ‘mental health and wellbeing.’
Prince George's life seemed to completely change when his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth passed away. Being bumped up to second in the royal line of succession, behind only his father Prince William, the youngster experienced what one expert called a 'baptism of fire' as he came to terms with the realities of his royal future.
Now, George making public appearances alongside his parents on royal engagements has become a regular occurrence, the most recent being alongside his dad Prince William for a Rugby World Cup match. He's taken to the spotlight seemingly like a duck to water. But with all the added pressure now on him to 'step up,' something the youngster reportedly wanted to do after realising the family had ‘lost Uncle Harry,’ coupled with his hectic time at school, mum Kate Middleton is understandably worried about him.
George is currently preparing to take his ISEB exam, the results of which will determine which boarding school he can get into when the time comes after his 13th birthday. And with Eton on his mind, the pressure to do well is huge.
Speaking to HELLO! Magazine, James Mitchell, the co-founder of Think Tutors, a tutoring company, shared that even though George is heir to the throne, his public standing will do nothing to help him if he receives low scores.
"The competition is like getting into Oxford," he said. "There are students in the public eye who Eton rejects even with a similar standing to Prince George and so Eton is probably one of the only schools in the country where they don't need donations, they need the best students that they can possibly get."
George's current school, Lambrook, which he will attend until he is 13 years old and can move up to boarding school, will already have helped him rigorously prepare for the exam with practice tests in the exam's four subjects; English, Maths, Verbal, and Non-Verbal reasoning.
"Prince George will have been through every style of question that could arise in all four subjects," James said. He also shared that the school will have run exam simulations where George will have taken a test paper in a room mimicking the upcoming exam conditions for both the ISEB and, should he pass that one, the following Eton test to help him 'finesse' his approach.
But while the school's focus is on George's test results, Kate's is on something far more important. His mental health. Alex Server, the founder of Pegasus Tutors, an independent tutoring company, told HELLO! that, over the years, he has noticed more and more parents changing their perspective on the exams and worrying more about the effect it will have on their child, rather than just on their results. "More and more these days there's an added focus on mental health and mental wellbeing," he said.
Young Minds, a children's mental health charity, shares that exam periods are an extremely stressful time for kids and support from parents is vital to help them get through. "Exams are a stressful time for any young person," they write on their website. "Mood swings and outbursts are more likely to occur during this period. Look out for other signs that your child may be struggling, including poor sleep patterns or a change in appetite or behaviour.
"Helping your child to plan a realistic revision timetable, which breaks the days and subjects down into manageable chunks, will reduce their anxiety by increasing their sense of control and confidence."
The charity also encourages parents to 'seek help from your GP' if 'anxiety and stress start impacting' their child's 'day-to-day life,' something Kate has previously spoken about and stressed the importance of.
During an engagement back in 2016, PEOPLE Magazine reported that Kate said, “With the right help, children have a good chance of overcoming their issues while they are still young, and can have the bright future they deserve.
“No parent would fail to call the doctor if their child developed a fever, yet some children are tackling tough times without the support that can help them because the adults in their life are scared to ask,” she said.
“Throughout my work with family and child support organisations, one thing that has stood out to me time and again is that getting early support for a child who is struggling to cope is the best possible thing we can do to help our children as they grow up.
“Knowing this, both William and I feel very strongly that we wouldn’t hesitate to get expert support for George and Charlotte if they need it.”
