Pic: State Examinations Commission

New research reveals three in four parents feel out of control during Leaving Cert season.

New research from HelloFresh Ireland reveals that 45% of Cork parents say the Leaving Cert is the single most stressful time of the year, with 76% feeling less in control of their own home during exam season, both significantly above the national average

As the Leaving Cert gets underway, new research from HelloFresh Ireland has identified Cork as Ireland’s exam stress capital. Almost half of Cork parents (45%) say the Leaving Cert is the single most stressful time of the year, compared to 27% nationally. Three in four Cork parents (76%) say they feel less in control of their household routine during exam season, the highest of any city in Ireland and well above the national average of 62%.

The Cork findings are part of a wider national picture. The survey finds that 96% of those who actively support their child during exam season say at least one of their efforts caused tension or frustration at home. More than half of Irish families (55%) say the person hardest hit by the exams isn’t even the student. Nearly 1 in 3 parents (30%) say exam season falls heaviest on themselves, and 1 in 4 (25%) say it’s the other children in the house who absorb the most.

It adds up to a picture of homes coming apart at the seams. 85% of Irish households say their normal routine breaks down during exam season. In response to the findings, HelloFresh has partnered with psychologist and author Malie Coyne to offer Irish families practical guidance on getting through exam season without it costing the whole house.

Good intentions, difficult outcomes

Keeping the house quieter than usual was both the most widely adopted measure, with 38% of parents doing it, and the biggest flashpoint, with 23% saying it caused friction at home. Encouraging healthy foods triggered tension in 21% of households, and regularly asking how the study was going caused frustration in a further 21%.

Women are carrying a disproportionate share of this burden. Mothers are significantly more likely than fathers to keep the house quiet during exam season (51% vs 30%), to ask regularly about study progress (44% vs 32%) and to encourage healthy eating (42% vs 36%). They are also more likely to say those efforts caused tension.

Nowhere is the strain more visible than at mealtimes. The family dinner, often the one moment in the day with nothing to do with study plans or exam pressure, tends to be the first routine to collapse. Nearly half of parents (44%) say meals become irregular or unpredictable, and 42% say their child stops eating with the rest of the family entirely.

Malie Coyne’s five tips for keeping the household on an even keel:

1. Focus on connection, not constant study check-ins
Teenagers often benefit more from calm emotional support than repeated questions about study or results. Instead of focusing solely on exams, ask simple, supportive questions like “How are you doing?” or “Is there anything you need?” One calm check-in a day is often enough. Trust them with the rest.

2. Protect one shared moment without an agenda
It doesn’t need to be elaborate. A walk, a meal, or twenty minutes together without discussing exams can help teenagers feel more grounded. During stressful periods, routine, rest, food, sleep, movement, and emotional connection matter most.

3. Manage your own anxiety first
Teenagers are highly attuned to the emotional atmosphere at home. If you are anxious, they will often sense it quickly. Taking time to decompress and look after yourself is important. A calmer parent helps create a calmer household.

4. Be mindful of the rest of the household
Siblings can sometimes feel overlooked during exam season as attention shifts towards the teenager sitting exams. Small moments of connection and maintaining some normal family routine can help everyone feel supported and keep the atmosphere steadier at home.

5. Support them, but let them lead their study journey

Parents can support routines, meals, sleep, and emotional wellbeing, but becoming overly involved in study schedules or exam discussions can sometimes undermine a teenager’s confidence. Offer support where needed, while trusting in their ability to cope.

Annita Forte, Brand and Marketing Communications Manager at HelloFresh Ireland, said: 

“Exam season can have a massive mental toll on Irish families, and the pressure spreads through the whole house. The research shows that even the most well-meaning efforts to help can end up creating friction rather than easing it, and households lose their sense of routine. What HelloFresh can do is take one thing off the list, so that dinner is something that just happens, without anyone having to think about it on top of everything else.”

Irish customers can visit hellofresh.ie to find a meal kit that helps bring routine back to the table during exam season and beyond.