If you’ve spent your whole life hating math, you probably don’t want your kids to be cursed with the same issue.

So here’s some advice: When they pull out their math homework, don’t even try to help them.

A new study by the University of Chicago found that parents who hate math shouldn’t try to help their kids learn it — because they can transfer their anxiety to their kids.

Kids whose parents hate math did worse in math class if their parents tried to help them study — if their parents just kept their distance, the kids did fine in class.

The researchers say, quote, “Even though their efforts can be incredibly good intentions; when parents are trying to help with math it can actually backfire.”