My Child Learns Math Well at School But Forgets Everything at Home: Why and How to Fix It
The teacher says my son catches on quickly. But by evening, he stares at his homework like he's never seen it. I thought he was faking—turns out, this is how children's brains actually work.
'What did you learn at school today?' 'Multiplying by 4, Mom!' 'Great! What's 4 times 6?' Silence. My son looked at the ceiling, thinking hard. 'I... I forgot, Mom.' I was shocked. The teacher had just texted saying he caught on quickly in class. How could he forget something he learned just hours ago? I thought he was faking, not paying attention. But after researching, I discovered: this is exactly how children's brains work—and I'd been reviewing wrong.
Understanding ≠ Remembering
My biggest mistake was thinking that because my son understood something, he would remember it. But learning has distinct stages:
- •Encoding: Taking in new information and understanding it
- •Consolidation: Transferring information to long-term memory
- •Retrieval: Being able to access that information later
At school, my son successfully encoded—he understood in the moment. But without proper consolidation, that understanding evaporated before reaching long-term memory.
The Forgetting Curve: Science Behind the Problem
German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered the 'forgetting curve'—we lose information at a predictable rate:
- •After 20 minutes: ~40% forgotten
- •After 1 hour: ~50% forgotten
- •After 1 day: ~70% forgotten
- •After 1 week: ~90% forgotten
By evening, my son had already lost most of what he learned that morning. This isn't laziness or inattention—it's biology. Without intervention, forgetting is the brain's default.
Why Children Forget Faster
Children face additional challenges:
- •Developing prefrontal cortex: Executive function and working memory still maturing
- •Information overload: Learning multiple subjects daily
- •Lack of connections: New concepts aren't yet linked to existing knowledge
- •Passive learning: Listening without active engagement doesn't stick
- •Distraction: So much happens between school and homework time
The Solution: Spaced Repetition
The antidote to forgetting is strategically timed review. Each review 'resets' the forgetting curve, making the next forgetting slower.
Optimal Review Schedule
- •Same day: Brief review within hours of learning (most critical!)
- •Next day: Quick recall practice
- •3-4 days later: Another brief review
- •1 week later: Review again
- •2-4 weeks later: Final consolidation review
Each review can be short—5-10 minutes is enough if timed correctly.
Practical Strategies That Work
Strategy 1: The Car Ride Review
On the drive home from school: 'What's one new thing you learned in math today? Show me!' This captures learning while it's fresh—the most critical review window.
Strategy 2: Teach-Back Method
'Can you teach me what you learned?' Having children explain concepts forces retrieval and reveals gaps in understanding. Teaching is one of the most powerful memory techniques.
Strategy 3: Micro-Reviews Throughout Evening
Instead of one long homework session, sprinkle tiny reviews: a math question during dinner, a quick problem before TV, another at bedtime. Multiple short exposures beat one long session.
Strategy 4: Morning Mini-Review
Before school the next day, a 2-minute review of yesterday's learning. This catches material before it falls off the forgetting curve completely.
Strategy 5: Weekend Cumulative Review
Spend 15-20 minutes on weekends reviewing the whole week's learning. Games, flashcards, or app practice—make it low-pressure but consistent.
Making Reviews Effective (Not Painful)
- •Retrieval practice: Don't just re-read; ask questions that require recall
- •Vary the format: Flashcards, verbal questions, app games, writing
- •Keep it brief: 5-10 minutes is better than 30 minutes of fading attention
- •Make it routine: Same time daily reduces resistance
- •Add movement: Walk while reviewing, use hand gestures, physical manipulatives
What Changed for Us
I restructured our routine:
- •Car ride home: 'Teach me one thing from math today'
- •Before dinner: 3 quick practice problems
- •Before bed: 'What was that thing you taught me earlier?'
- •Next morning: 2-minute review at breakfast
- •Weekend: 15 minutes of cumulative practice (usually through games)
Within a month, the 'I forgot' problem mostly disappeared. My son could recall what he'd learned days later because we were catching information before it vanished. Same total time spent, just distributed differently.
The Role of Sleep
Memory consolidation happens during sleep. Children who get inadequate sleep forget more. Ensure:
- •Consistent bedtime (even weekends)
- •Age-appropriate sleep duration (9-12 hours for elementary age)
- •Brief review before sleep (it's processed overnight!)
- •No screens right before bed (disrupts sleep quality)
When to Be Concerned
Normal forgetting responds to spaced repetition. See a specialist if:
- •Child forgets things immediately (not just by evening)
- •Forgetting is inconsistent—remembers some things easily, forgets others completely
- •Spaced repetition strategies don't help after 2-3 months
- •Forgetting affects multiple areas, not just academics
- •Child seems confused about things they've known for a long time
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my child just not paying attention in class?
Probably not. If the teacher says they understand during class, they genuinely did in that moment. Forgetting by evening is normal brain function, not evidence of inattention. The solution is review strategy, not attention blame.
How do I find time for all these reviews?
They're tiny—car rides, mealtimes, transitions. You're not adding study time; you're redistributing it. Five 2-minute reviews beat one 10-minute session that's already too late.
What if I don't know what they learned at school?
Ask them! 'Teach me something from math today' works even when you don't know the curriculum. Their explanation IS the review, and you'll learn what to reinforce.
Stop the forgetting cycle. Sorokid uses spaced repetition algorithms to review concepts at optimal intervals, so your child builds lasting math memory instead of learning and forgetting repeatedly.
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