You've got the reading and 'riting down - but what about that last R, 'rithmetic? Math has changed since those days when future moms completed worksheet after worksheet and worked out addition, subtraction, multiplication and division tables - without the aid of a calculator. Math, thankfully, has become more hands-on and applicable to other subjects and disciplines. There's no more "When will I ever use this?" sort of rationality when it comes to math these days. It's a new approach called "reform math" or "inquiry-based math." The great thing about this way of teaching is that it is more interesting, more engaging and allows more reasoning. But if those numbers are still intimidating, then there are a few strategies you can try to make helping with math homework easier. Start by enlisting family members who may know more than you. Divide and conquer homework. If you're great at languages and social sciences, then you can help with those. Dad or someone else can tackle math and science. Give your kid a sense of solidarity by sitting down with your own "homework" in the form of e-mails, paying bills or balancing the checkbook as he does his.
When you're helping and not sure how much help you're being, there are sneaky ways for your child to help you along. Get as much information as you can about the topic with which he needs help. Asking him to coach you through it is a way to gain knowledge you need to help and helps the child talk out the problem, perhaps leading him to a solution he didn't think of before. Asking him to hypothesize - or make an educated guess - about the solution can help, too. If you're both getting frustrated, then it's time to step back and call in reinforcements in the form of another parent - or even the Internet. If the child just seems stuck, when in doubt, sympathize. Telling him to "try again" may not help because he has been trying and feels it hasn't gotten him anywhere. Saying something like "I know you feel like you're stuck right now. What can I do to help?" can get him motivated and help him feel like someone is in his corner.