At some stage of the eleven plus year some member of the family
is going to come out with these immortal lines:
“I couldn’t sleep last night, thinking about the eleven
plus.”
Insomnia, to some, is an inability to sleep. It can be a
very tiring condition. We know that there are remedies such as covering the
eyes to keep out light. Other people use different forms of earplugs to keep out
noise. Traditionally, taking a teddy bear to bed to cuddle can help. Some people
try to sleep sitting up supported by pillows. It does not look as if there is a
golden rule. All we can do is feel real pity for the sleep starved.
When I was at school, as a ten year old, our class had to learn
by heart long sections from Shakespeare. One speech was from Hamlet – the famous;
`To be or not to be’ speech.
To die, to sleep;
To sleep, perchance to dream, ay, there’s the rub,
For in the sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off that mortal coil.
Passing the eleven plus is not a matter of life and death.
It is also not an examination for parents to lose too much sleep over. Children
do go on to enjoy successful academic careers in spite of not passing the eleven
plus.
Suggestion One – To Try to Help with Insomnia
Work on an eleven plus paper just before going to bed. That
could help to calm the mind.
Suggestion Two – To try to help with not being able to go to
sleep
Work with your candidate to learn the `To be or not to be’
speech’ together.
