The secret to understanding and enjoying the math curriculum for kids isn’t really all that complicated. All you need to do is stick with it long enough to grasp the core concepts. It takes a little time sometimes, but eventually, anyone can understand mathematical concepts. Most people just quit too soon, so they never get to that point.
Math is critical to most of the best career choices out there, and if you want the best for your kids, you probably want them to graduate from high school with math as one of their subjects. No matter how young your kids are now, the time to lay the groundwork for them is now. Here’s how you go about it.
Never Tell Them YOU Can’t Do Math
Even if you don’t think you can do math, the truth is, you were probably just one of those people who quit before you had the big aha moment. That’s fine, and you probably enjoyed great successes elsewhere. However, telling your kids that you can’t do math will give them a subconscious license to quit too. Even if they don’t realize it, the notion that you, their hero, didn’t succeed in studying math will give them the option to fail.
Rather than do that, it’s better to hire a professional math tutor to help with their studies, and preserve the idea that everyone can do math.
Show Them Relevance
One of the biggest problems most people who quit math have is that they don’t believe the math curriculum for kids is relevant to their lives. Show your kids that it is. Start early, counting items at the supermarket, at home, or anywhere else. Explain to them how the price per liter of gasoline equates to how much you can purchase, or get them involved in doubling a recipe for cookies.
The more your children accept math as a part of their world, and everyday life, the more they’ll be likely to stick with it.
Be Their Cheerleader
There’s nothing quite as exciting as finally understanding a tough mathematical concept. Once you finally figure out why it works that way, it feels like there’s a choir of angels singing the hallelujah chorus, and like there should be a marching band and streamers!
Encourage your child to keep pushing themselves towards understanding and aha moments in math by giving them that sort of celebration. When your child masters a tough new concept, celebrate the moment! Whether it’s burgers at their favorite restaurant or a new video game as a reward, if you acknowledge their triumphs, they’ll want to tackle the next challenge!
Be Patient
Finally, be patient. Everyone can understand mathematical concepts, given enough time, but enough time for one person isn’t the same as another. Be patient, give them time, and let them learn at their own pace. Remember that the harder the battle for understanding is, the more ingrained the understanding will be, and even if your child doesn’t learn new ideas quickly, they’re still learning, and that’s a big triumph.