“You do it; math isn’t my thing.” If that’s what you hear yourself say to your husband when it’s time to balance the checkbook or measure for new cabinets, you may want to bite your tongue. Your aversion to all things numerical could rub off on your kid. This is particularly true of little girls, who learn to fear math—leading to lower math achievement—from female teachers who second-guess their own math ability, according to a recent study from the University of Chicago. “And my hunch is that another primary source of fear might be parents’ attitudes toward math,” says lead study author and associate professor of psychology Sian Beilock, PhD. To get your preschooler—girl or boy—to embrace numbers (even if they make you squeamish), engage in “number talk,” recommends study coauthor Susan Levine, PhD. Count Cheerios on the table and then summarize, “There are four Cheerios.” Or, as your child helps set the table: “We have five people in our family. So how many forks and how many napkins do we need?” Then have her count them aloud. “Kids who hear more number talk and engage in related activities enter school with better math skills and confidence,” says Dr. Levine. So conquer your own fears and help empower your child. She’s counting on you.

Math Blast

To promote your child’s mathematical prowess, says Dr. Susan Levine:

Talk to her teacher. Find out what math games and concepts the preschool class is working on so you can reinforce them at home.

Practice the basics. Concepts like sorting, counting and patterning help preschoolers get math. So let your child help you match socks, count toys as she puts them away and make patterns with colored blocks.

Play games. Board games like Chutes and Ladders or Hi Ho! Cherry-O can help your preschooler practice math skills—just for fun.