The Development of Maths Anxiety – Common Challenges that Children Face
Studies show that at around age 8 children start losing their spontaneity and become more anxious about Maths. Why is this?
Maths is Unforgiving!
Maths measures us like no other subject and affects our self-esteem like no other subject.
The perception is that if you are good at Maths, you are clever.
A Maths answer is either perfect or not. An answer of 7 x 7 = 50 is very close but very wrong. None of us like being put on the spot and being wrong.
Speed kills
Many children equate speed to intelligence. Pressure to give answers quickly often builds anxiety in children that need a bit more time.
Speed tests for basic facts are often counter-productive and serve to make the faster child quicker and the slower child even slower and more anxious.
Children who work slowly end up doing fewer sums and get caught up in a downward spiral. Developing understanding takes time.
When we emphasize speed only, we send the incorrect message that all problems should be solved quickly, which hurts children’s persistence on more complicated tasks.
Emphasis on Rote learning and memory
An over emphasis on rote learning impacts children that have a limited working memory and long-term memory.
Many of our ideas around teaching Maths revolve around memorising Maths information.
All of us differ in our ability to do that especially when what we must memorise has no meaning.
Negative messages about Maths by Parents and Teachers
Many of us send out messages of a fixed mindset. “I am just not good at Maths and will never be good at it. This is just the way I am!”
One often hears parents say: “I was never good at Maths, so it’s not surprising my child isn’t good either.” A growth mindset says that we can all become better through practice.
Ineffective Strategies
Many children have an over-reliance on counting.
This leads to problems in developing fluency for the four operations.
Poor number sense and an inability to estimate leads to difficulty in understanding place value. This in turn has a negative effect on children’s ability to develop effective strategies to do calculations fluently.
It is a common misconception that Maths is all about “rules” and procedures. Algorithms play a big role in Maths but a lot of it needs to be understood. Maths is about making sense of problems and understanding why particular strategies work.
Maths becomes tricky if we don’t Understand what the Symbols mean
Somewhere a young child is confronted with the fact that the number 7 on a clock can represent 7, sometimes 25 and at other times 35.
When working with money, two 50 cent coins equal a R1 coin.
When measuring length, we expect children to know that 100cm =1m.
All of this is very confusing for a young child if they don’t have conceptual understanding of what the symbols represent.
What can I as a parent do?
Here are a few simple ideas for you to think about.
Your Child first, Maths second
Know that your child is a little human being not a little human calculator.
We are human beings not human doings.
Our ability to do Maths does not define who we are.
Our ability to do Maths does not define our worth.
Our ability to do Maths does not determine whether we will be financially successful one day.
It is also true that Maths plays a big role in the school curriculum.
Battling with Maths is not nice. Full Stop.
Maths is a pathway to many careers.
It feels nice to be able to solve a Maths problem.
We firmly believe that all children can develop a good foundation in Maths.
Be Authentic
Know that you and your child are unique and that you both have your own unique gifts.
Take a firm resolution to never compare your child with other children.
All children develop differently and at their own pace.
There is no rush.
Regular opportunties for learning in an enabling environment gives your child the best chance.
You as a Mom are unique with your own talents and parenting style.
Take a firm resolution to never compare yourself with other Moms.
You don’t have to be a great Mathematician in order to be a great Maths Mom.
There is no Ceiling
Know that your beliefs determine everything.
Isn’t it amazing and scary that the beliefs that we infuse in our kids will be the beliefs that they will most probably carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Children become what those around them believe them to be.
The biggest gift that you can give your child is to help them develop a good feeling about themselves.
Your child knows more than what you think.
You know more than what you think.
Your child is capable of much more than what you might believe.
You are capable of much more than what you might believe.
At the end of the day how you interact with your child is foundational.
Read through these tips a few times and reflect on your belief systems around Maths.
In our next article we will look at specific topics in the curriculum and give you some pointers of how to help your child.
If you are interested in chatting further you are welcome to contact us at www.mikimaths.com
Miki Maths supports your child’s entire primary journey, from Pre-school (Gr 000–R) through the Foundation Phase (Gr 1–3) up to Grade 6. By focusing on the mastery of fundamental skills, we ensure every student is built for long-term success.
We believe that true mathematical success begins by meeting every child exactly where they are. When children feel valued and appreciated, they gain the confidence to tackle new challenges. By fostering a relaxed environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities rather than failures, we encourage students to take their time and explain their thinking.
We prioritise deep conceptual understanding over speed, as we’ve found that high-pressure environments often erode a child's confidence. It is far easier to retain concepts that are truly understood than to rely on the rote memorisation of rules that don't make sense.
At Miki Maths, we create an enabling space where children discover that math is a fun, logical, sense-making journey—one that naturally enhances their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Why do young children battle with Maths? - February 10, 2026
1 thought on “Why do young children battle with Maths?”
With Maths it all about practicing daily.Practice makes perfect its not a subject that can be studied.