Add Math to Everyday Life

Maybe this scenario sounds familiar: You child sits at the kitchen table, frowning down at her math homework. "When am I ever going to use this in real life?" she asks.

That's a fairly common question. (You may have asked it yourself when you were in school!) Some students—particularly those who do not have an affinity for math—look at the numbers, symbols, and equations and see little more than confusing abstraction. Help your child understand just how important math is by including it in your daily routines.

After all, learning doesn't end when the books snap shut and the last bell rings. You can incorporate math in so many ways, including the following:

Cook up some math-related fun. Where better to learn fractions and units of measurement than in the kitchen? Ask your child for help in ways that will get his math-mind going. Maybe you need a quart of chicken broth to make your family's favorite soup, but your measuring cup is only marked in pints. Or maybe you need two-thirds of a cup of sugar for your famous chocolate cupcakes, and another one-half cup for the frosting—ask your child to help by measuring out the total amount of sugar. Not only is cooking-related math a lot more fun than book work, it's also a fantastic way to spend time with your child.

Make money count. If there is one way in which we use math every single day, it's when we make purchases and balance our checkbooks. When you help your child learn the "math of money," you are also helping her learn financial responsibility. Your local grocery store is replete with real-world math opportunities (e.g., "Which cereal is cheaper by the ounce?" or "How many cents do we save by using this 25-percent-off coupon?"). Budgeting is another great way to give your child a personal interest in math. If, for example, your fifth-grader receives $20 for her birthday and wants to spend it on a CD and a movie ticket, she needs to price both items to make sure that plan is feasible. Once again, math and financial responsibility go hand-in-hand—and that's such an important life lesson.

Take math on the road. Use your time in the car—whether it's the daily drive to school or a summer road trip—to practice math with your child. For example, if the drive to school is 3.5 miles one-way, you could ask how far you'll drive in a week. Or, you could seek your child's help in calculating how many miles you get for each gallon of fuel (e.g., "My car holds 12 gallons, and I drove 300 miles before I needed to stop for gas. How many miles am I getting to the gallon?") These real-world activities will keep your child interested and engaged.

Learn more about the advantages of math tutoring or read detailed reviews of TutorJam.com, StrongLearning and Classof1.com.

If your child needs help with math, find the best solution for your family.