If you put off helping your child with their long division and fractions then don’t worry – you’re not the only one.
A study of more than 1,000 parents with children aged six to 16 found a fifth avoid their kids’ maths homework because working with numbers scares them.
When mums and dads do give maths homework a go, the survey by the Open University Business School (OUBS) found half admit they get it wrong, while 17 per cent tell their children to ask their maths teacher for more help.
Nearly a third (29 per cent) of parents say they struggle with maths homework aimed at children aged six to nine, while 28 per cent say they can no longer help out with maths when their child goes to secondary school.
And adding and subtracting without a calculator is a skill one in four parents say they would not be able to pass on.
The fact that parents are avoiding helping out with maths homework doesn’t come as too much of a surprise, considering parents often share their kids mind-boggling homework on social media.
Can you answer any of these previous homework teasers that seem to have parents stumped?
1. The one about the dog show.
2. The one with the missing letters.
3. The one with the weird shapes.
On a more serious note, if your child is constantly struggling with their maths homework and often needs help to complete it, it’s worth arranging a chat with a teacher to discuss their development and the level of homework set.
OUBS joined forces with Bobby Seagull to champion a ‘Managing My Money for Young Adults’ course funded by the Chartered Accountants’ Livery Company.