End of Year Testing. . . .

I absolutely detest all the testing that is pushed on our kids in the public school system today.   I realize we must assure they are learning but there must be another alternative.  I have one child that has no problem testing and I have one that twists himself into a knot days before all of this testing.   He makes himself sick worrying over this mess.  There are many children that are just like my Big T and worry themselves until they are physically ill over end of year testing.   Our school system puts so much pressure on these children to perform, I wonder if during the year they are really learning anything.  Our we really educating our children or are we teaching them how to take a test?
In our family we try to make the days of the EOG's, EOC's and final exams special and fun.   This year my dear sweet hubby is making a special breakfast each morning for the boys.  Normally it is yogurt and a bar for Big T and Sprat usually has hash browns and milk.  This week of exams they have had bacon and pancakes with biscuits.   Sprat will most likely have sausage biscuits and hash browns and maybe some bacon during his finals.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially on exam days.   Prayer is also very important on days like this.  I said a special prayer with Big T before he left for school today and I said another one after they left for both Sprat and Big T.   I also slipped Big T a little peppermint patty to eat before the test.   I read somewhere that peppermint helps wake up the brain and keeps you focused.  In our house, we pull out all the tricks we can to get us through exams.
To everyone suffering from exam anxiety, parents and kids alike, prayers and hugs to you all.