Math Survival Guide for Homeschooling Moms Who Don’t Like Math

I thought I'd switch things up a big and offer some tips and tricks from my 15 years of experience teaching every subject. Today, I thought I'd focus on one of the hardest subjects for most homeschool moms and children. 

Let’s face it: if your feelings about math are anywhere from meh to avoid-at-all-costs, teaching it to your kids can feel like trying to wrestle an octopus while blindfolded. But fear not—there are strategies to survive (and maybe even enjoy) math time.

1. Embrace the “Fake It Till You Get It” Approach

You don’t have to be a math genius. Showing your child how to think through a problem—asking questions like, “Hmm, what do you notice here?” or “What happens if we try this?”—is often more valuable than knowing the answer yourself. Curiosity counts for more than calculation skills.

2. Make Math Hands-On

Manipulatives are your best friends: blocks, beads, coins, or even pasta noodles (bonus points for coloring them with food coloring). Turning abstract problems into physical objects helps kids see the math—and gives you a break from the anxiety of symbols and numbers. Bonus: your 2-year-old can join in by “counting” the pasta.

3. Use Real-Life Scenarios

Cooking, shopping, measuring for home projects, or even splitting up chores can become impromptu math lessons. Who knew cutting a cake could teach fractions? Or figuring out how many apples to buy for a week could teach multiplication? This also helps you avoid the dreaded, “Why do I need this anyway?” question.

4. Set a Timer (for You and Them)

Short, focused bursts of math—say, 15–20 minutes—are often more effective than marathon sessions. It keeps frustration low and attention high. Plus, it’s easier for you to survive 15 minutes of math than an hour-long algebra showdown.

5. Make Mistakes Together

Don’t be afraid to show your kids that you get it wrong sometimes. Solving a problem together after a “Oops!” moment models perseverance and shows that math is about thinking, not perfection. And let’s be honest: it gives you moral permission to breathe out a little sigh of relief.

6. Use Apps, Videos, and Games

Tech can be your best ally. Interactive apps, YouTube math tutorials, and educational games can take some pressure off you. You don’t have to know everything if your child can get some instruction from a friendly digital teacher.

7. Keep It Light and Humorous

Math can be tense, but a little humor goes a long way. Make up funny word problems, silly mnemonics, or celebrate “math victories” with a little dance or snack. Laughter makes learning stick and keeps the dread at bay.

8. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

Your goal isn’t to turn yourself or your kids into mathematicians overnight. Celebrate small wins: mastering multiplication tables, completing a tricky problem, or even just approaching math without tears. Consistent effort beats instant mastery every time.

Bonus tip: Keep a “Math Emergency Kit” nearby—chocolate, coffee, and maybe a fidget toy for both you and the kids. Math doesn’t have to be fun, but survival is non-negotiable.

The Joys, Chaos, and Occasional Hunger of Homeschooling

Homeschooling isn’t for the faint of heart—or for anyone who likes predictable schedules. Speaking from the trenches as a mom of seven (yes, seven!) children ranging from a college student to a spirited two-year-old, I can tell you it’s as rewarding as it is… chaotic.

Let’s start with the reality: motivation isn’t always intrinsic. Some days, my high schooler is reading Shakespeare with the enthusiasm of a cat at bath time, while my 8th grader would rather debate the philosophy of snacks than algebra. And don’t get me started on the 4th grader, whose attitude sometimes screams, “Why do I need to learn this now when I could be building a Lego empire?”

Then there’s supervision. Imagine trying to help with fractions while refereeing an argument about whose turn it is to feed the chickens, or making sure the toddler isn’t attempting to “help” by painting the dog with washable markers. Multitasking is a full-time sport!

And somewhere in all of this, meals happen… sort of. One particularly memorable day, I was so engrossed in helping my dual-enrolled high schooler finish a college essay while keeping the younger kids from turning the living room into a ball pit that I didn’t even realize I hadn’t eaten breakfast—or lunch—until almost 2 PM. Let me tell you, nothing motivates you quite like realizing you’re dangerously close to hanger while trying to explain the Pythagorean theorem for the fourth time.

Here’s the thing: homeschooling demands flexibility. Schedules are guidelines, not laws. You know, kind of like parley -- from Pirates of the Caribbean. Sometimes math gets pushed aside for a spontaneous science experiment; sometimes the toddler insists on “reading time” in the middle of a history lesson. But—and this is the secret sauce—flexibility only works if paired with consistency. Kids need to know there are expectations, even if the timeline wiggles like a garden hose in summer.

At the end of the day, homeschooling is a balancing act of patience, creativity, and humor. You’ll deal with eye rolls, procrastination, and “I’m done!” moments. You’ll need to adapt lessons to fit moods, energy levels, and yes, the occasional forgotten lunch. But you’ll also witness small victories—a lightbulb moment during a science experiment, a perfect paragraph, a math problem solved without tears—and these are worth every chaotic minute.

So, to my fellow homeschool warriors: give yourself grace, laugh often, and maybe keep a secret snack stash of Snickers. You’ll need it.

Making the First Day of Homeschool Special: Tips from a Mom of 7

 

Fifteen years of homeschooling, seven kids, and countless “first days of school” later, I’ve learned one thing for sure: the magic of that first day really matters. Whether your kids are starting college, high school, middle school, or still teetering around with a juice box in hand, the beginning of a new school year sets the tone. It doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect—it just has to be yours.

Here are some of my tried-and-true tips to make your homeschool first day special:

1. Do a Little “Back-to-School” Shopping

Yes, even homeschoolers love fresh pencils, crisp notebooks, and the allure of a brand-new pack of crayons (that, let’s be honest, will be broken within a week). Going shopping a week or two before the school year not only gets everyone excited but also helps them feel like they’re part of something bigger. I’ve had teens who rolled their eyes at me but still secretly got a thrill picking out their own pens or notebooks. Trust me—it matters. 

Some years, I've had the kids pick colors and a generic theme (like fairies), and I've surprised them with a gift box of school supplies based on their choices. Other years, I've taken each child shopping independently, having lunch out, and making it an extra-special day. Recently, we've done tandem shopping, with two children shopping with mom and having lunch. 

2. Pick a Theme for the Year

Some years, our homeschool has launched from Hogwarts or a Dr. Seuss book. Other years, we’ve had a superhero academy vibe or a forest and fairy theme. Once, we leaned into a bookish theme and pretended our home library was the school’s central hub. My kids LOVED the book Red Sails to Capri and our entire classroom was decorated with boats and sails leading to cave/cavern. Even now they talk about how fun that school year was and we revisit that book as a family every few years. 

A theme doesn’t have to mean elaborate costumes (though, bonus points if you can convince a teenager to wear a cape). It’s just about setting a tone—something fun to give your year a unique flavor. Letting the kids have a say in this makes a huge difference. Especially as they get older.

3. Begin with Prayer

In our home, we always pause on that first morning to ask God’s blessing over our year. A simple prayer—something like, “Lord, thank You for this new school year, for the chance to learn together, and for the patience we’ll surely need. Bless our minds, our hands, and our hearts.” Then we pray this (or something like it) every morning. It grounds us, reminds us what’s most important, and helps center even the busiest, most distracted mornings. Some years, we work on memorizing new prayers; others, we focus on different Bible passages. Whatever it is, I let the kids have a voice because when they're invested in it, amazing things happen.

4. Build a Schedule—But Hold It Loosely

Schedules are sanity-savers. I’ve learned my kids thrive when they know what to expect: math after breakfast, reading mid-morning, chores before lunch. But here’s the kicker: hold it loosely. Real life will happen. The toddler will climb onto the table during spelling. Someone will spill juice on their math book. Your teen will ask an oddly philosophical question at the most inconvenient time (consider it “critical thinking” practice.) Flexibility is just as important as structure—don’t forget to give yourself grace.

We have an "ideal" schedule and then the "real" schedule. There are things we want to incorporate into our homeschool day and things we need to incorporate into our day. The trick is to have the flexibility to do both and the serenity to recognize that it might not all happen every day. But this is kingdom work, and tomorrow is always another day. 

5. Make it Festive

The first day deserves a little extra sparkle. Maybe it’s pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries for breakfast, or a picnic in the backyard for lunch. Maybe you hand out “school year survival kits” with snacks and silly erasers. We’ve even had first-day scavenger hunts where the kids had to find their new supplies. Whatever it is, let the day feel joyful—it’s the memory they’ll carry, not whether you got through Lesson 1 in the math book. 

6. Celebrate the Wins, Big and Small

At the end of the first day, we often circle back together to share what we’re excited about this year. Sometimes the answers are heartfelt (“I want to read more books about history”), and sometimes they’re hysterical (“I’m excited for snack time every day”). Both count. One year, we had a Bible program that incorporated a weekly or daily snack -- Bible was EVERYONE'S favorite subject for the entire school year. 

A Word of Encouragement

If you’re anything like me, the temptation is to measure your success by how smoothly things go or how well the kids do on their assessments each year is strong. Here’s the truth: some years will start with a bang, others with a whimper, and most with a mix of both. But the first day is less about perfection and more about planting seeds of joy, faith, and curiosity.

So go forth, homeschool mama (or dad)! Grab those crayons, say that prayer, laugh when the toddler eats the glue stick, (avoid the locking pencil boxes--I'll explain later), and remember—you’ve got this.