Identifying the Silent Struggle in Your Child’s Math /1
Part 1: The How-To Guide for Catching Up in Math
Math bumps don’t always announce themselves.
In my experience with homeschool families and other parents, I’ve seen how easily kids slip into math struggles without realizing it. One day, math just works and then suddenly, by 5th or 6th grade, it doesn’t.
There’s no flashing warning sign, no sudden breakdown. They compensate with quick guesses, finger-counting, and step memorization. They invent tricks that work until the numbers get bigger and the problems more complex. Then, everything that once felt doable is suddenly impossible.
The quiet struggle isn’t quiet anymore. There’s frustration, self-doubt, and a child convinced they’re just “bad at math.”
Maybe your child:
Struggles with large numbers, hesitates, or second-guesses themselves
Avoids showing their work in assignments or has trouble explaining their process
Dreads math and puts it off whenever possible, maybe even claims to hate it
Believes they’re bad at math, even though they’re particularly clever in other areas
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Many kids find ways to keep up. They are memorizing steps, guessing, and spotting patterns without truly understanding the math. The kids who are especially bright and clever at these workarounds often struggle the most when the numbers get bigger and the tricks stop working. Teachers assume they’ve got it, parents see passing grades, and everything seems fine… until it isn’t.
When that happens, kids don’t just think math is hard. They believe they’re bad at it. And if they think math ability is something you’re just born with, they stop trying altogether.
The truth is: Your child isn’t bad at math. They’re missing the pieces that make it make sense. They need to explicitly know, “you do know how to do this, but if you don’t do it this way, it won’t work when you’re trying to do the next step.”
If you’re just realizing your child is struggling, you don’t have to start over. You just need a plan.
Math is a broad subject; you can be great at some parts and struggle with others. Catching up isn’t about redoing everything. It’s about filling in the right gaps so your child can move forward with confidence.
Start here.
✅ It’s not their fault.
✅ Even if it were, it’s our job as parents to take responsibility and fix it.
✅ We’re not here to place blame. We’re here to solve the problem.
This series (How-To Guide for Catching Up in Math) will show you how to move forward without making math feel like a setback. In Part 2, we’ll break down the guiding principles that will help you teach grade-level math while strengthening your child’s foundation with confidence.
Thanks for reading! This is where I share general insights and strategies from my own family’s experience and from working with other homeschoolers. Every child’s journey looks different, but these principles can apply across the board. If you’d like to see more, follow along on 𝕏 TimeTrekFam for daily updates and general shenanigans and click below to subscribe for free on Substack for the real content!
