Frances Spielhagen on "I'm bad at math!"

鈥淲hen a child says he or she hates math, it is usually a sign of frustration and confusion,鈥� says Frances R. Spielhagen, author . 鈥淚t is important to validate what the child is saying, with encouragement like, 鈥榊es, math can sometimes be difficult, but let鈥檚 see what, in particular, is giving you trouble.鈥� This type of support tells the child that the feelings of frustration are real but can be overcome.鈥� Spielhagen suggests a parent can help get their child to be more math-confident by taking a number of approaches:

鈥淭alk to your child鈥檚 teacher to determine the dynamics that are happening in the classroom. If your child needs additional help, determine how to provide that help, at home, through local 黄色app resources, professional tutors, and even a bright high 黄色app student looking to earn some extra cash or service hours.

鈥淣ever forget that parents are the first teachers of their children. It is important to incorporate mathematical thinking in daily interactions, using old standards like figuring out fractions when sharing a pizza, or calculating how many seconds (not minutes) it will take for the popcorn to pop in the microwave. Make math fun. We are convinced that we should read to our children everyday — why not add mathematical thinking and playing with numbers into the mix?

鈥淲hen a child expresses frustration and characterizes himself as a failure, the two most important words a parent can say is 鈥榶et鈥� and 鈥榤ight. 鈥榊ou are having difficulty with that now and can鈥檛 do it yet. What might we do to help this situation?鈥� This tells the child you believe that he or she can improve, with effort, and you will provide the support needed.鈥�

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Here鈥檚 how 4 other parenting experts say to respond…

Erica Reischer
Instead of focusing on whether they’re “good” or “bad” at something, help kids see the value of hard work, says parent coach and psychologist Erica Reischer. Format: Video (1:41)

Deborah Tillman
America’s Supernanny Deborah Tillman says that when a child is struggling with math — or any subject — parents need to step in quickly to help. Here’s how. Format: Video (1:20)

Sheila Tobias
The author of the seminal book on math phobia, Overcoming Math Anxiety, says that every child — save a rare few — can succeed at math. Here鈥檚 how. Format: Article