5 Ways to Help Your Child Struggling with Math

Does your child find math hard, complicated, or (gasp!) even boring? Many kids struggle with math. The reasons might surprise you. The good news is there are easy things you can do to help your child in this crucial area.



I’m Virginia school assembly performer expert Joe Romano. For over 30 years, I have traveled to multiple states, performing curriculum-based school assemblies on reading, science, and even math. I’ve written this article to help parents when they discover their child is struggling with math. Many of these solutions may seem overly simplistic, but they work.

Struggling with Math Tip #1: Watch What You Say

Did you know that fears and phobias can be passed down or ‘installed’ in your children?

When we fear something, we sometimes cause our children to develop the same fear. But here’s the thing: it’s not genetic. There is no predisposition to learning something. But many parents unwittingly pass along fears to their children.

Saying things like “Boy, I really had a hard time with math” or “Nobody in our family is good at math” may seem like casual, off-the-cuff remarks. But to a child, hearing something like that from a parent or other trusted adult figure can prove detrimental. Kids often take what we say as undeniable truth.

If you struggled with math, you likely had teachers who didn’t give you what you needed. But none of that should matter to your child.

Struggling with Math Tip #2: Know Where Your Child Should Be

What you were supposed to learn at a certain grade level may have changed over the years. To know whether your child is having a hard time with math, you’ll first need to know what your child should be able to handle based on their age and grade.

That means staying involved. Schedule regular meetings with your child’s teachers.; Stay on top of their progress so you know what the goals are for your child.

Struggling with Math Tip #3: Stay Positive

The simplest way to help your child is to stay positive. Our attitude, or how we feel about something, has a very real effect on our tenacity. With a positive attitude, we often feel like we can solder on until we achieve something we perceive as difficult.

But if we feel down about the same topic, those self-doubts can seep in and rust away our abilities to persevere until we achieve an important goal. Staying positive sounds so easy, right? But there is a simple thing we can do to stay positive with our child.

It’s exceedingly simple. And it may sound counter-intuitive at first. The technique is…embrace mistakes. Making mistakes is part of learning, especially in math. If you’re helping your child with math, avoid showing signs of frustration when your child makes a mistake. As long as they continue to put forth the effort, they are heading in the right direction.

Struggling with Math Tip #4: Learn From Your Child

Experts often say to truly master something is to be able to teach it. Using this idea is a great way to help your child with math. Sit down with your child and ask them to teach you what they are learning in the classroom.

They may fight you at first. They may say things like, “I can’t teach you! I don’t get this stuff!” But persevere.

Get your child to teach you what they are working on. When we teach something to someone else, we engage a different part of our brain. We may process the information differently. And sounding everything out or talking about the process can help too. Going through this exercise may also unlock whatever your child was struggling with. In the middle of teaching you, your child may experience that ‘lightbulb moment’ where everything just clicks. Now they ‘get it.’

Struggling with Math Tip #5: Make Math Fun

Finally, introduce math games into the equation. Every person, young or old, fairs better at a task when they have fun. Explore different games, apps, and activities designed for children on their developmental level.

Not sure what game or app fits where your child is in math? Check with their teacher. They may be able to recommend specific activities or games to you.

Get Your Entire School Excited About Math

Math is a great topic for an in-school assembly program. My “Superhero Math” school assembly introduces your school’s students to amazing math concepts. It also reveals ways math is useful in real life and much more. Best of all, this show is interactive, fun, and filled with jaw-dropping magic. Find out more about “Superhero Math” by contacting me today!