What to do if you can't do the maths?

Hardly any other subject causes as much discomfort as maths. Many children find it difficult and even frighten them. We show you how you as parents can help.
Text: Fritz+Fränzi editorial team

Children learn at different speeds. This is particularly evident in maths. Whilst some children can keep up effortlessly and maths even becomes their favourite subject, others find it extremely difficult and develop a downright aversion to maths.

Once children have gaps, they lose motivation and soon feel like failures. They bring home unsatisfactory grades, which only serves to further fuel the downward spiral of dislike. This is not an easy situation for parents either.

Should you simply practise more with your child?

Our coach knows this topic well. «What can parents do? How can they help? How can they motivate their child? Should they practise more? Or hire a private tutor?» Questions like these come up regularly during counselling sessions, as he shows in the video:

How parents help with maths

As is so often the case with educational issues, the best place to start is with yourself: What is my attitude towards maths? Did I like this subject in my own school days or did I dread it?

«Statements like 'Everyone in our family is bad at maths' can encourage helplessness in the child,» say our learning experts Fabian Grolimund, Stefanie Rietzler and Lis Reusser in the article «6 tips: How parents can help with maths».

In our dossier «Maths anxiety» you will find numerous other tips as well as testimonials from teachers, parents and children. How do other parents deal with it? Let us inspire you. You are not alone with this topic!