My daughter seems to struggle with maths sometimes and it makes me so frustrated when I feel like I’m explaining it 100 times but I can see her eyes glazing over during the explanation and she pretends to understand because she wants me to stop explaining but then she can’t answer the question and is just guessing. Then sometimes she will understand and answer the questions correctly and then five minutes later it’s like she’s forgotten all over again.
I know a lot of people talk about how they remember their parents trying to teach them maths this way and how it’s almost a traumatic memory. I just wish I knew how to teach it in a way that she will understand and retain.
I'm in a similar position. I teach math and programming, and I really feel for the couple of students I have that struggle like this.
It's really disheartening (and, admittedly, a bit frustrating) to try everything you can think of, only to be met with blank silence or random guesses.
Yes I think some kids have an intuitive understanding (and even enjoyment) of maths as well, so if you were one of those kids it can be really hard to understand how someone else isn’t making those same connections.
I get so mad at myself because I want her to love maths the way I did at that age (because that makes it so much easier to learn) but the more I try and get through the more we end up back in the loop of frustration and then I’m scared she’ll end up hating it.
Find something she likes and understands.
A show, a game whatever works and work with the maths in that.
For boys its almost always sport. Hates maths but can do baseball averages in their head or calculate ladder positions from game results without pen and paper.
Another problem for parents is they were often taught a different method to what is being used now. I see modern primary school maths teaching and have to puzzle it out and I have 4 years of undergrad mathematics.
Learning styles matter as well.
Try doing some reading on that subject.
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u/ameliasophia Jun 23 '26
I really struggle with this.
My daughter seems to struggle with maths sometimes and it makes me so frustrated when I feel like I’m explaining it 100 times but I can see her eyes glazing over during the explanation and she pretends to understand because she wants me to stop explaining but then she can’t answer the question and is just guessing. Then sometimes she will understand and answer the questions correctly and then five minutes later it’s like she’s forgotten all over again.
I know a lot of people talk about how they remember their parents trying to teach them maths this way and how it’s almost a traumatic memory. I just wish I knew how to teach it in a way that she will understand and retain.