Does your child become frustrated when they see a maths worksheet? Do they say, “I’m not good at maths” or avoid maths homework whenever possible?

Many children can feel worried or uncomfortable when learning maths. The good news is that parents can help children develop a more positive and confident attitude towards numbers and problem-solving.

Maths confidence doesn't develop overnight. It grows through small successes, encouragement, practice and positive learning experiences.

Here are some simple ways parents can support their child.

1. Avoid Saying “I Was Never Good at Maths”

Children often learn from what they hear at home.

If children regularly hear adults say things like:

“I'm terrible at maths.”

or

“Maths has always been difficult for me.”

they may begin to believe that struggling with maths is something they should expect.

Instead, try using positive language:

“Let's work through it together.”

“It's okay if you don't know it yet.”

“Let's try a different strategy.”

Your words can help your child see maths as a skill that can improve with practice.

2. Find Out What Is Making Maths Difficult

Maths anxiety can sometimes come from a specific area of difficulty.

Your child might struggle with:

• Times tables

• Fractions

• Division

• Word problems

• Mental maths

• Reading mathematical questions

• Working quickly

• Remembering different steps

Rather than assuming your child is struggling with all of maths, ask:

“Which part feels difficult?”

Once you identify the specific challenge, you can focus on that skill instead of making every maths session feel overwhelming.

3. Don't Rush Your Child

Some children need more time to process a maths problem.

If your child is still thinking, give them time before providing an answer.

Instead of:

“Come on, what's the answer?”

try:

“Take your time. What do you know so far?”

Giving children time to think can help reduce pressure and encourage them to explain their reasoning.

4. Use Everyday Activities to Practise Maths

Maths doesn't always need to involve a textbook or worksheet.

Everyday activities can provide natural opportunities to practise.

At the supermarket

Ask:

“Which item costs more?”

“If we buy two, how much will they cost?”

While cooking

Ask:

“If we need two cups of flour, how much would we need for half the recipe?”

While travelling

Ask:

“We left at 2:30 and arrived at 3:15. How long did the journey take?”

These activities show children that maths is useful outside the classroom.

5. Focus on Understanding, Not Speed

Being quick at maths doesn't always mean understanding maths.

Some children become anxious when they believe they must calculate everything immediately.

Encourage your child to slow down and think.

Ask:

“How did you work that out?”

“Can you show me another way?”

“Can you explain your thinking?”

Understanding the process is more important than answering as quickly as possible.

6. Break Big Problems Into Smaller Steps

A large maths problem can look intimidating.

Help your child break it into smaller parts.

For example, instead of trying to solve a complicated word problem all at once, ask:

1. What information do we have?

2. What do we need to find?

3. Which numbers are important?

4. What operation might we need?

5. Can we solve one part first?

Breaking a problem into steps can make it feel much more manageable.

7. Celebrate Small Improvements

Don't wait for your child to get a perfect score before celebrating progress.

Notice the small wins.

You could say:

“You remembered that strategy from yesterday.”

“You checked your answer yourself.”

“You kept trying even though it was difficult.”

“You solved that problem without my help.”

This helps children recognise their own progress.

8. Make Mistakes Feel Normal

Mistakes are a natural part of learning maths.

When your child gets an answer wrong, try to avoid immediately saying:

“That's wrong.”

Instead, ask:

“Let's look at it again.”

“Where do you think we might have made a mistake?”

“Can we try it another way?”

This changes the experience from failure to problem-solving.

9. Use Games to Make Maths Less Stressful

Maths practice doesn't always need to feel like homework.

Try simple games involving:

• Cards

• Dice

• Number puzzles

• Board games

• Mental maths challenges

• Sudoku

• Logic puzzles

• Shopping games

For example, roll two dice and ask your child to add, subtract or multiply the numbers.

Keep the activity short and enjoyable.

The aim is to build positive experiences with numbers.

10. Encourage Your Child to Ask for Help

Some children worry that asking for help means they aren't good at maths.

Remind them that asking questions is part of learning.

Teach your child to say:

“I don't understand this step.”

instead of:

“I can't do maths.”

That small change can make a big difference.

It turns a general feeling of failure into a specific learning question.

11. Avoid Comparing Your Child With Other Children

Every child learns at a different pace.

Comparing your child with a sibling, friend or classmate can increase pressure.

Instead of saying:

“Your brother can do this easily.”

focus on your child's own progress.

Ask:

“Can you do something today that was difficult last week?”

Progress should be measured against where your child started.

12. Create a Calm Learning Environment

A quiet, comfortable environment can make it easier for children to focus.

Try to:

• Choose a regular time for learning

• Keep the learning area organised

• Reduce unnecessary distractions

• Take short breaks

• Stop if your child becomes very frustrated

• Return to the problem later if needed

Learning doesn't have to happen perfectly every day.

Consistency is more important than perfection.

A Simple 15-Minute Maths Routine

If your child feels anxious about maths, start small.

Try this routine:

3 minutes — Warm-up

Practise a few easy questions your child already knows.

7 minutes — New skill

Work on one specific concept.

3 minutes — Challenge

Try one slightly harder question together.

2 minutes — Celebrate

Talk about what your child learned or improved.

Starting with questions your child can answer successfully can help create a positive beginning to the session.

What Parents Can Say

Sometimes the words we use can make learning feel easier.

Try replacing:

“This is easy.”

with:

“Let's work it out step by step.”

Replace:

“You should know this.”

with:

“Let's see what you remember.”

Replace:

“You're wrong.”

with:

“Let's check your thinking.”

Replace:

“You're so smart.”

with:

“You worked really hard on that.”

The goal is to encourage persistence and learning rather than perfection.

When Should Parents Seek Extra Support?

If your child consistently becomes extremely distressed around maths, regularly avoids schoolwork, or continues to struggle with particular mathematical concepts despite regular support, it may be useful to speak with their teacher.

A teacher can help identify areas that need additional practice and suggest appropriate support.

Final Thought

Maths confidence is built gradually.

Your child doesn't need to love every maths problem. They simply need to learn that finding something difficult doesn't mean they can't learn it.

With patience, encouragement, practice and the right support, children can become more comfortable tackling mathematical challenges.

At home, focus on progress rather than perfection.

One problem. One strategy. One small success at a time. 🌟