For many children, mathematics is a source of comfort as they love the subject. However, for some, it might be a source of concern and anxiety because of their fear of the subject. If your child is one of the many children who are scared of mathematics, then take it easy as he/she is not alone. In fact, there are many children as well as grown-up individuals who feel daunted by Math.
Math is only a subject, however, it is a fact that it can cause phobia for many children. There are students who could do anything just to avoid studying the subject. Is your child scared of Math? Here are some signs to understand that your child is struggling with Math.
- Continuous lower grades in Math as compared to other subjects
- Gets anxious while doing Math
- Doesn’t want to talk about or learn Math
- Trouble learning Math concepts and facts
- Difficulty in paying attention
- Child gets discouraged while solving Math problems
- Trouble applying Math concepts in real life
If your child is one of the many individuals including adults who don’t like Math, here are some tips that might help you to make your child comfortable with the subject.
Ways to help your child learn Math at home –
1. Don’t avoid the subject, practice it every day with your child – Just because your child doesn’t like to study Math, don’t skip it. As long as your child stays away from practicing mathematics, he/she will always be scared of it. So, it is better to stay in touch with the subject regularly. Teach math to your child daily even if it is for 10 minutes or so.
2. Stay positive with your kid – Don’t let your child think that he/she is bad at Math. Just comfort your child by explaining that it’s okay if he/she is not very good at Math as there are many others like your child.
3. Try to include Math in everyday life – Depending on the age of your child, try to incorporate Math in your regular activities in a play way manner like asking them to help you with calculations while shopping or working in the kitchen. Also, you can watch math-related quizzes or other programs on TV. You can even try out video games to teach something related to Math to your child.
4. Don’t rush while teaching; take it slow – While teaching Math to your child, don’t get upset if he/she can’t answer simple questions. What seems simple for you might not be the same for your child. Think about the question from the perspective of a child as per the age and not from your own perspective. Also, you must understand that lacking mathematical skills doesn’t make your child less intelligent in anyways.
5. Make the basics clear – Math is such a subject, where you need to have a clear understanding of the basics to improve your skills on the subject. So, it is very important to have a clear understanding of the basic topics to be able to move on to the advanced topics.
6. Try different approaches to make learning Math fun – Here you can take the help of any fun games, puzzles, books, online apps, and so on. In fact, many parents have found a noticeable amount of change of attitude towards Math among their children by using online homework help.
7. Online homework help – Depending on the grade your child is studying, you can download different apps as well as utilize other online homework help sources like an online tutor, etc. to make your child interested in Math. Especially parents who do not have enough time or who are not inclined towards teaching Math to their children can use online help to increase the aptitude of their children in the subject. With online homework help, you might be able to identify problem areas of your child, where he/she lacks ability in Math.
For parents, it is important to have a positive mindset while teaching Math and not let your child feel more dreaded about the subject. So, even if you have any similar dislike for Math, it is better not to reveal it in front of your kid.
With a constant positive approach along with support like online homework help, you can surely make a difference in your child’s outlook about Math. All you need is to try.