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Break Free from Maths Anxiety: A Realistic Guide to Building Confidence in Numbers

By Ilse Roets

For many parents and students, maths anxiety feels like a quiet shadow that follows them around, especially when it’s time for homework, tests, or trying to explain word problems that never quite made sense in school.

I’ve sat with countless students who’ve whispered, “I’m just not a maths person,” and with parents who’ve said, “I was never good at it either.” The truth is, you’re not alone and you’re not stuck.

Overcoming maths anxiety doesn’t require superpowers or sudden brilliance. What it does require is a shift in how we see ourselves, our children, and the way we relate to numbers.

Let’s explore a few powerful shifts that can help you and your child move from maths fear to maths freedom.

I’ve spent decades in classrooms, tutoring rooms, and one-on-one with students at their kitchen tables. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: no one is beyond help when it comes to maths learning.

In fact, so many of us carry stories we didn’t even realise were shaping how we show up. Stories like:
🧠 “I’ll never understand this.”
🧠 “It runs in the family.”
🧠 “I always panic during tests.”

But these are just that, stories. And they can be rewritten.

Understanding the Root of Maths Anxiety

Maths anxiety in children and adults often has quiet beginnings. A single bad test. A confusing classroom moment. An offhand comment from a teacher or caregiver. Over time, these small moments create emotional weight and eventually, a mental block.

Here are 7 often-overlooked causes of maths anxiety that I’ve seen time and time again in my work as a maths tutor and educator. When we name them, we give ourselves the power to change the story.

1. Early Negative Experiences

Sometimes it starts in the earliest years of schooling. A missed foundation. A teacher’s frustration. Being made to feel behind before you even had a chance to catch up. These early experiences often shape a student’s self-image and set the tone for how they approach maths learning throughout life.

What helps: Rebuilding confidence through small wins. Revisiting those gaps gently, without shame, can make all the difference.

2. Pressure to Be Right the First Time

Many children and adults feel like they’re failing if they don’t get the correct answer immediately. In truth, learning is messy. We learn through trial and error, not instant perfection. But if a child is constantly told to hurry up or made to feel embarrassed for getting it wrong, anxiety becomes part of the learning process.

What helps: Creating a home or classroom environment where effort is praised as much as accuracy. Mistakes are not failures. They’re part of the process.

3. A Mismatch in Learning Style

Every child processes information differently. Some need visual aids. Others learn best through physical movement or verbal repetition. When maths tutoring or classroom teaching doesn’t align with a child’s preferred learning style, frustration builds. They begin to think the problem is them, when in fact it’s the method that needs adjusting.

What helps: Personalised, supportive maths tutoring that meets the child where they are.

4. Fear of Judgment

Whether it’s fear of being called on in class or worrying about disappointing a parent, the fear of being judged can freeze a child in place. This anxiety often leads to avoidance. Putting off homework. Zoning out in class. Avoiding eye contact when help is offered.

What helps: Normalising the idea that struggling with maths is common and nothing to be ashamed of. Conversations that centre safety and support can unlock progress.

5. Lack of Context or Real-Life Application

Many children don’t see the point of what they’re learning. Without context, maths feels abstract and irrelevant. This disconnect adds to frustration and anxiety, especially when they’re told they just have to know it.

What helps: Bringing maths learning into everyday life through cooking, games, budgeting or even sorting socks. When maths becomes part of the world they understand, confidence begins to grow.

6. Emotional Association with Maths

Some children associate maths with high-stress environments. Timed tests. Tense homework battles. Critical feedback. Over time, even looking at a maths book can trigger a stress response. I’ve had students say, “My brain shuts down the moment I see numbers.”

What helps: Breathing techniques, mathematical mindfulness, and slow reintroduction of maths in low-pressure situations.

7. Inherited Beliefs from Adults

“I was never good at maths either” is something I hear often from parents and children absorb that message quickly. Without realising it, we pass down our own anxieties, shaping how children view their abilities.

What helps: Reframing our language. Even if maths wasn’t your strength, let your child know their story can be different. Let them hear, “You’ve got this. We can figure it out together.”

Final Thoughts

The truth is, maths anxiety isn’t about intelligence. It’s about experience, belief, and emotional safety.

You don’t need to have all the answers as a parent or educator. What matters is your willingness to create an environment where trying is safe, growth is possible, and setbacks are just stepping stones.

Change starts small. It starts with listening. With adjusting how we speak about maths. With celebrating effort instead of perfection.

If you’re on this journey for yourself, your child, or your students, know that progress is always possible. I see it every day.

Let’s keep learning forward.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ilse Roets is the founder of Square Roets Maths and a passionate advocate for lifelong learning. With over two decades of experience in maths education, Ilse has helped hundreds of students overcome maths anxiety through personalised, holistic support. As a dyslexic educator and lifelong learner, Ilse brings empathy, insight, and practical strategies to every child she teaches.