What to Do When Your Kid Hates Math

Does your child whine or complain when it’s time to do math homework? Is he getting lower grades in math than in other subjects at school? Math has a bad reputation among children, but there are a number of things you can do to help your child enjoy it a little more. Here are some tips on what to do when your kid hates math.

Help a Struggling Child

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If your child is frustrated with math because she has a hard time understanding what she’s being taught, it may be ideal to consider ways to help her understand. You may need to spend more time helping her during homework hours. Helping her understand what she’s learning can make her dread the subject a little less. You may even want to see if her teacher can provide extra homework sheets to help her learn. Another option is to hire a tutor.

Make Math More Interesting

Many children hate math because they find it to be a boring subject. Think of new ways you can make math more interesting. Use fun examples to illustrate the lessons your child is learning. Using an actual pie or a pizza pie can help your child have more fun while doing fractions, for example. Computer games can also make the subject more fun.

Use Math in Real Life Settings

When you use math in real life settings, it can make it more fun for your child. It can also stress the importance of math. Think of ways to encourage your child to use math in the real world. If your child is learning about money in math class, why not take him to the store and have him count money to pay for the item? You can help your child learn more about measurements by cooking or baking together.

Set Realistic Expectations

Some children may feel like they are under a lot of pressure to do well in math. Unfortunately, no matter how hard your child tries, it may be a subject in which she will never earn straight A’s. If she does her homework and makes an effort to study but still does poorly on tests, it’s important to be understand that math simply isn’t her strongest subject. Be sure to praise and reward her for any positive improvements she makes to her grades.

While there’s no way to force your child to love math, there are steps you can take to help him not dread it quite as much. It may not ever be your child’s favorite subject in school, but making the subject more interesting and helping a struggling child understand math better may make the subject less dreaded.