He didn't dread Math anymore; Lisa reflects on
how online tutoring helped her 10th grader
rebuild confidence.

When 15-year-old Dylan began slipping in math, his mom, Lisa, wasn’t immediately alarmed. After all, many students struggle with the subject at some point. But what started as a few low test scores soon turned into something deeper—frustration, loss of confidence, and a growing fear of the subject altogether.

In this honest and reflective account, Lisa shares how their family navigated that difficult phase, and how a small decision—to try online tutoring—turned into something bigger than they expected. Her story, while specific to her son, speaks to the broader challenges many families face when academic struggles affect emotional well-being.

Math was never my son’s favorite subject, but until 9th grade, he managed to stay afloat. He wasn’t the kind of student who brought home perfect scores or gushed about equations, but he got by. Somewhere around the middle of 10th grade, though, I noticed the shift. Homework started taking longer. He’d sit at the table for hours with his math book open but barely make progress. Some nights, he'd just shut it all and say, “I don’t get it,” in that defeated tone that every parent dreads.

At first, Lisa hoped this was just a passing phase—a particularly tough chapter in the textbook or a dip in motivation. But as the weeks went on, it became clear that Dylan’s struggle wasn’t going to resolve itself. The usual strategies—parental help, encouragement, pep talks—weren’t working.

We tried helping him ourselves, but it wasn’t easy. It had been a long time since either my husband or I had done high school math, and frankly, we were just making things more frustrating. We considered getting him a local tutor, but our schedules were packed, and between school, extracurriculars, and our own work, finding the right time and fit proved harder than expected. That’s when someone suggested online tutoring.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t immediately convinced. The idea of him sitting in front of yet another screen didn’t exactly thrill me. He was already on Zoom for school during the pandemic, and I wasn’t sure how much more screen time he could take. Plus, how personal could it really be?

Despite her hesitation, Lisa decided to give it a shot. They weren’t expecting a miracle—just a small, manageable step in the right direction. What followed, though, was a quiet but steady transformation.

The first session was pretty low-key. The tutor asked him some questions, tried to get a sense of where he was struggling, and gave him some problems to solve. It wasn’t some magical breakthrough moment, but it was calm. No stress, no pressure. My son didn’t complain afterward, and that in itself was a small win.

As the weeks went by, I noticed subtle changes. He started finishing his math homework without needing help from us. He didn’t dread it the way he used to. And gradually, his test scores started improving. At one point, he got an 89 on a quiz and casually mentioned it over dinner like it wasn’t a big deal. But for me, it was.

The change wasn’t just academic. Dylan’s attitude began to shift. Without the fear of embarrassment or failure, he was more willing to engage, to try again, to believe that he could do better. Confidence, it turned out, was as important as content.

My son told me he felt like he could ask the same question three times and never feel embarrassed. That kind of space to learn is rare, especially in a typical classroom. One evening, he even offered to help his younger sister with her math homework—and he was patient about it, which, if you have siblings in your house, you know is no small miracle.

By the time the semester ended, his math grade had gone from a C+ to an A–. That felt incredible, sure. But the real victory wasn’t just the report card—it was watching him re-engage with learning. He didn’t see math as an enemy anymore. It was still hard, but it wasn’t defeating him.

As a parent, Lisa found something else in the process too: reassurance. Reassurance that her son could bounce back. That he wasn’t “bad at math,” just in need of a different approach. And that academic setbacks, when met with the right support, can be temporary.

We still keep up with tutoring, even though he’s doing better now. It’s not just about catching up anymore—it’s about staying steady. About reinforcing the idea that learning is a process, and it’s okay to need help along the way.

Sometimes, I think back to that night when he pushed away his math book and said, “I just don’t get it.” And I’m glad we didn’t let that moment define his path. I’m glad we gave him the space to grow out of it.

Lisa’s story is one of many, but it’s also universal in its core message: With the right kind of help—delivered in a format that respects the learner—students can turn around even their most difficult subjects. Not through pressure, but through patience. Not overnight, but over time.

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