I remember starting on my parenting journey, meeting a high school freshman who, her parents assured me, was “gifted.” She was already studying calc II (and yet she couldn’t make her own breakfast).

In my youth I was an AP math student, and a math tutor in college, and I presumed my own children would attain such mathematical heights. I hadn’t learned to be a true homeschooler yet. I worried about such things as grade levels and scores.

Now I understand that the level of math courses attained has far less to do with a young person’s future success and happiness. What matters is their comfort with numbers….That they are unafraid to employ numbers to meet their needs, assert their rights, figure out a problem, or create something beautiful. That fearlessness is the most important math skill. And so we go slow. We dismiss any concerns about “grade level.” We laugh a lot. We repeat lessons over and over and over. And there are no tears. We recognize that numbers are a tool for an empowered life, and we take as long as we need to master them. And we enjoy the journey along the way.