Ways to Finish Math Peacefully even with Strong Willed Kids

 I was compensated for my time and provided with a subscription to CTCMath, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Maybe I speak for myself alone in saying out of all the required school subjects, math brings about the most negative feelings to put it nicely. But I don't think I am alone. As parents, we know it is important for the kids to have a good base in math, but very few want to teach it, grade it, or argue to get their kid to do it. If you have a strong-willed child, I'm sure the argument part rings true. These kids want to do what they want to do when they want to do it, and usually that isn't math. 

Even if you are blessed with a more agreeable child they will still have their days when they dawdle or simply will not focus on math. 

Sometimes that means we have to find more creative ways to get math done especially when we are pulled in a million other directions and simply don't have the energy for another argument. Let's look at some ideas to make getting math done more peacefully. 

4 Ways to Make Completing Math Easier

• Add Manipulatives
• Play Games
• Find Math in Everyday Life
• Choose the Right Curriculum (This is our favorite math curriculum, but more on that later.)

Add Manipulatives

Kids like hands-on learning, and most learn well when moving. If solving a problem on paper isn't working, give them something to manipulate. Small erasers come in cute shapes and usually work well for early elementary math. 

Playing with the cute little erasers make math much more fun, and much more likely to get done. 

If it is a particularly bad day, you can involve small food like raisins or gummies and even your spirited students will likely zip through the math to eat their manipulative. 

Try Playing Games

Math doesn't always have to look like a worksheet of problems. In fact, many games are great for learning basic math concepts. 

In pretty much all games, score keeping works on some math skills. 

You also have games that are math focused like Asumundi, Math Rush, Proof, Three Sticks, and Prime Climb. Or create your own math based games like this Multiplication City. 

There are also games that require quite a bit of math even though that isn't the theme of the game. Some of our favorites in this category include  Power Grid (money skills), Machi Koro (addition, multiplication, percentages), and Laser Khet (angles).

Of course games focusing on logic will help with problem solving as well! We love RoboRally for practicing strategy and coding concepts. 

Discuss Math in Everyday Life

Use everyday opportunities to reinforce or even introduce math concepts. This can be a sneaky way to get more math in especially when your little one has

These can include: 

• Shopping where kids can learn about weights, counting, cost per item, and even tax.
• Cooking where kids learn measurements, fractions, as well as multiplication if doubling recipes.
• Even play time where the opportunities are endless, but playing restaurant is great for learning money! 

Really, you can work math practice into so many places. Discuss speed or distance while driving, count steps while walking, or talk about time while doing chores. You are only limited by your imagination here! 

Choose the Right Curriculum

As a homeschooler I know you have been searching for a holy grail of curriculum just like the rest of us. For math, we seem to have found ours. After 3 years we are still using CTCMath! 

CTCMath offers so many features that really work for busy families, especially busy families with several kids! 

• Online and works on mobile devices
• Can print worksheets if online won't be possible
• Kids work independently at their own pace
• Parents don't have to teach or even grade
• One cost for the whole family

CTCMath is online and works on desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones! You can take it with you wherever you go. Great when you have a full schedule or a stubborn kid that wants to draw things out as long as possible! 

Headed somewhere that you won't have internet access? Have you kids watch the video ahead of time and then print the worksheet to complete on the way. Later they will input the answers and get their grade. 

Each lesson consists of a short video lesson followed by questions. Kids complete this on their own. If your strong willed kids are anything like mine, independence is key! You may still have to do some tutoring if the kids really don't get it, but for the most part my kids just rewatch the lesson if they are confused. 

If they are really, really confused, they can go back to previous lessons or even previous years. Students can work at any level they need as you have access to all the grades. Just another way the flexibility of CTCMath works for all homeschool families.

CTCMath even allows manipulation of various objects on the screen, AND it has a fun times table game kids can play for extra practice. Learn more about how we use CTCMath with a squirmy kiddo here.

The teaching math wasn't the worst part for me; it was the grading. Grading 4 kids math plus other subjects; no one has time for that. CTCMath also grades itself! Not only does it do the grading, it also allows you to change what percent the kids need to pass, and allow you to delete grades for the kids to re-do the problem and not have a first try count in the final grade. 

The cost doesn't really have anything to do with making math easier, but the fact that there is only one price for the whole family definitely makes it easier to invest in plus with the Homeschool Family Membership families can get the CTCMath Curriculum for half price.  Even better, you can try CTCMath for free! 

Now that you have some tools to make math a bit smoother, what subject do you need to tackle?