How many times have you heard your child complaining about Math? If you are reading this article, we believe, countless times.
For many students, looking at numbers and solving complex equations seems like an unending battle. In fact, you’ll be surprised to know that a recent survey proved that nearly 50% of Americans suffer from math anxiety and phobia. Yes, the number is that big.
Math anxiety is pervasive, and ironically, it’s the most neglected topic in schools and homes. The condition might occur due to the enormous pressure of being academically best or not understanding and concentrating on the new and complex concepts. Children who suffer from math anxiety find it difficult to shake their fear of numbers. This is exactly the reason why numerophobia (fear of dealing with numbers or mathematics) becomes a lifelong issue for some people. And you wouldn’t want that for your kids. Right?
Fortunately, there’s a way out. How about we tell you that you can make those numbers and equations fun for your little ones? That’s right. To know more about it, keep reading.
- Games make everything fun.
The reason why your children don’t want to do their math homework could be because they might find it boring.
That’s where math games come to the rescue.
A recent study reveals that playing games is one of the best ways to instantly make your child fall in love with math. Online math puzzles or number-centric board games such as Double Shutter or Monopoly are some of the excellent ways to make the subject fun and interesting.
And let’s not forget the fact that games are also best for improving cognitive skills without even realizing it.
It adds a change to your children’s daily academic life and helps them build interest in the subject seamlessly.
- Practice makes everyone perfect.
Math is all about practice and sheer determination. So, if your children feel anxious about their next math test, make sure you join the practice sessions with them. But that doesn’t mean you bury your kids under a pile of books and make them revise their lessons repeatedly. You need to take a simplistic approach to solve those complex math problems.
You also need to know that getting help as quickly as possible can contribute to coping with your children’s math anxiety. This is because many kids might be having a hard time adapting to traditional learning methods.
For this, you can either go for tutors or instructional videos that explain those complex formulas and numbers in the easiest way possible. Simple math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can be learned with a few tricks.
You can check out instructional videos to get hold of some easy math tricks that can help simplify those complex math lessons. Instructional videos are a part of online learning that can supplement the curriculum, making everything fun and engaging. Such videos might help your children build interest in the subject in no time.
You can also use rhymes to help your children remember all the mathematical tables. Consider reciting them all the way to school or right before going to bed and draft a creative learning process for your children. Use positive reinforcement by giving your children treats every time they finish their worksheets on time.
- Ditching negative thoughts might help.
Psychologists confirm that people who think they are capable of doing anything turn out to be better achievers later in life. This is commonly known as “mindset theory.” According to this theory, once people change their “fixed mindset,” they’ll start recognizing their ability to change or improve with time and effort. That’s what can help with your kids’ math anxiety.
You might feel okay to say things like “Math isn’t for everybody” to your kids to console them after getting poor grades.
But that’s not the right approach.
You need to assure your kids that they can solve complex equations with just a little bit of practice.
You need to keep them motivated by using positive words such as “you are capable of doing this.” “There’s nothing you can’t do.” Avoid saying things like, “I wasn’t a fan of math in my school days either.”
Caution: Never compare your child’s capabilities with anyone. It’s just going to fuel up those existing anxiety issues and make things worse. Every kid learns at their own pace and has different capabilities.
- Help your child shake off mistakes.
Studies show that children feel under pressure to impress their parents with good grades and better academic performance. Or children could feel nervous about how their parents would react to their mistakes. In fact, according to child psychologists, tension, apprehension, and fear are the key elements that affect someone’s ability to learn and perform in math.
That’s precisely why you need to help your kids and teach them how to move past their mistakes.
Believe it or not, one of the best things that can help refine your children’s mathematical skills is to tell them that it’s okay to fail sometimes.
Look at it this way, math is a subject that deals with analysis, evaluation, and critical thinking. Basically, it’s a step-by-step guide to achieve logical conclusions. As a result, there’s enormous room for making mistakes. And that’s fine.
Making mistakes creates a breeding ground for better learning. Once you help your children put mistakes into perspective while learning, they’ll be less likely to feel anxious about anything that is related to math.
Final Words,
Unlike other phobias, numerophobia is considered detrimental for students. And putting your children’s math anxiety on the back burner is only going to make things worse. The best way to avoid this psychological phenomenon is to strengthen the basics and add some confidence in your little ones.
Remember, the motive is not to cram the formulas but to feel comfortable working with numbers again. That’s why as soon as your children start complaining about how boring and challenging math is, you need to use the tips mentioned above to restore their interest in the subject.
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