Understanding Why Maths Feels So Hard for Children
Why Does My Child Find Maths So Hard?
In our years as maths tutors, we’ve seen many students struggle because they never properly learned the basics — like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
When children don’t master these early skills, they find it hard to move on to more advanced topics like fractions, decimals, and algebra.
This makes them feel lost, stressed, and even anxious about maths.
Why My Child Hates Maths — and What Parents Can Do
Many children hate maths because they feel left behind compared to their classmates. They feel sad, embarrassed, and under pressure from school, society, and sometimes their parents.
When they believe they’re ‘bad at maths’, they lose confidence and stop trying.
Parents can help by reminding their child that mistakes are part of learning, and by showing how maths is useful in everyday life. Support and encouragement matter just as much as practice.
Common Reasons Children Struggle with Maths
Gaps in Basic Numeracy Skills
More than 20% of NSW students fell below acceptable standards, according to the NSW Department of Education’s 2021 annual report. The department also missed its goal by over 10 percentage points for ensuring that two-thirds of students achieved expected growth in reading and numeracy. While Years 3 and 5 were on track, students in Years 7 and 9 performed significantly below expectations.
Weak foundation skills are one of the biggest problems. If your child struggles with times tables or basic number sense, they will find it difficult to keep up.
This leads to confusion with more complex maths later on.
Poor Teaching or Lack of Individual Support
Many students in NSW struggle due to poor teaching and a lack of individual support. A recent survey found that only 32% of teachers feel they can manage work stress, just 19% feel they have enough time to do their job well, and only 19% believe they’re fairly paid. Despite this, very few underperforming teachers are removed — only two to three are sacked for incompetence each year (as per a Parliamentary report)— leaving many classrooms below standard.
Furthermore, Many schools rush through the syllabus. Teachers are under pressure to finish topics and can’t always give each child the support they need.
When the basics aren’t taught properly in the early years, the problem grows bigger every year.
Low Confidence and Negative Mindset
Many students feel they are far behind and think they’re ‘just not a maths person’.
This negative mindset makes them feel anxious and blocks learning. In NSW, for example, a lot of students are more than a year behind in maths.
Learning Difficulties Like Dyscalculia
Some students have real learning difficulties like dyscalculia — a condition similar to dyslexia but for numbers. They find it hard to understand numbers, symbols, or mental maths, even with lots of practice.
Identifying Learning Difficulties in Maths
What Is Dyscalculia? Signs Every Parent Should Know
Dyscalculia is a learning disorder where a child struggles to understand number concepts. They may mix up numbers, find simple calculations confusing, or freeze during problem-solving.
How to Know If Your Child Has a Learning Difficulty in Maths
If your child works hard but still gets low marks, it could be more than just a gap in learning.
Signs include being easily distracted, staring at their work without trying, copying answers without understanding, or crying and feeling very sad about maths.
When to Seek Professional Help or Assessment
It’s best to get help as soon as you notice these signs. A specialist or an experienced tutor can assess your child’s needs and help build their confidence step by step.
Why Is Maths Anxiety So Common?
How Anxiety Affects Maths Performance
Maths anxiety is real. When a child feels anxious, their brain focuses more on the worry than on solving the problem.
A confident student will keep trying different ways to find an answer. But an anxious child may freeze or give up quickly.
Signs Your Child Might Have Maths Anxiety
Look for signs like staring blankly at problems, daydreaming, avoiding math and homework, crying before tests, or saying they feel ‘stupid’. They may do nothing for an hour and feel worse afterwards. Furthermore, they may find it hard to do tasks that younger students can handle.
Tips to Reduce Maths Anxiety at Home
Don’t get frustrated when your child gets answers wrong.
Instead of correcting them straight away, help them think about what went wrong. Break big concepts and goals into small steps. Focus on easy wins. Maths games and puzzles can also make learning feel fun and safe.
How to Build Your Child’s Confidence in Maths
Encouraging a Growth Mindset
A good tutor can really help. But make sure you choose the right one — someone who adapts their teaching, praises effort, and helps your child see mistakes as learning moments.
Making Maths Fun and Practical
Relate maths to real life: shopping, cooking, sports, or games.
When children see maths outside the classroom, they realise it’s useful and less scary.
When a Math Tutor Can Make a Difference
A great tutor understands your child’s gaps and works on both foundation skills and current topics together.
With the right help, children start to see improvement and feel more confident.
Supporting Your Child Consistently
Keep encouraging your child, celebrate small successes, and stay involved in their learning.
Consistency and patience are key to rebuilding confidence and overcoming maths fear.
Final Thoughts
Every Child Can Succeed in Maths with the Right Support
Your child is not ‘bad at maths’. With patient guidance, practice, and the right support, every child can build strong maths skills.
Where to Get Help for Your Child
If you’re worried about your child falling behind, Aussie Math Tutor NSW specialises in building confidence and reducing maths anxiety.
We understand what students go through and know how to help them feel comfortable and capable in maths again.
