Does your child say, "I'm just not good at maths"?

Nicole Leung
Jul 7, 2025
2 min read

You're not alone. Many parents reach out to me because their child has lost confidence in maths and might be starting to avoid it altogether. But here's the good news: confidence can be rebuilt with the right approach.

As a private tutor with over a decade of teaching experience and as the Maths Curriculum lead at an Outstanding primary school, I’ve helped hundreds of children rediscover their love of learning.

A snapshot of an online lesson covering Year 4 Fractions and Decimals

Here's how you can support your child at home:

🧠 1. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

Instead of asking “Did you get it right?”, try:

“What did you learn from that?”
“What was tricky about that question?”

Celebrate effort and growth, not just correct answers.

🔢 2. Use Real-Life Maths

Help your child see that maths is everywhere:

Let them calculate prices while shopping
Bake together and talk about measurements
Time how fast they can tidy up!

This makes maths feel useful — and fun.

✏️ 3. Avoid Saying “I Was Bad at Maths Too”

You might mean well, but children often interpret this as permission to give up. Instead, share how you kept trying even when something was difficult.