Learning Together: A Father and Daughter’s Kumon Story
Most parents who enrol their children in Kumon never imagine becoming students themselves. For Robert (Bob), however, supporting his stepdaughter, Isadora, eventually inspired him to begin a Kumon journey of his own.
His family’s connection to the program started more than 20 years ago, when his older daughter was a Kumon student. So, when Isadora needed support building her math skills, he felt confident enrolling her, too. This time, though, the journey began differently. Isadora started with basic material and progressed more slowly than Bob expected, leaving him unsure about her starting point and whether the program would work for her. At the three-month mark, Bob and Isadora’s Kumon Instructor, Anita, had an honest conversation in which Anita reminded him that this was all part of the process. That conversation established the foundation of every amazing Kumon journey: trust.
When Isadora enrolled, she began the way all Kumon students do at a level designed to feel easy and help her build a strong foundation. Kumon Instructors conduct a placement assessment to determine a starting point that allows each student to transition comfortably into the program. Sometimes, this means beginning with earlier material.
Initially, Bob questioned whether starting at such an early level in the math program was the right choice. He had expected to see quicker progress, but Anita reminded him that meaningful progress would take time. She encouraged Bob to remain consistent and trust the process. Rather than rushing Isadora ahead, Anita explained that the goal was to build the skills needed for long-term success. By mastering concepts step by step, Kumon students develop strong calculation skills, concentration and confidence. Allowing Isadora to move through the program at her own pace would help her strengthen those skills before moving on to more challenging material.
Shortly after this conversation, Bob began to see Isadora’s confidence grow. Isadora proudly shared, “I can do a lot of calculations in my head,” while Bob noticed that “Kumon has made her very confident in school.” With a career in private equity, Bob had always enjoyed working with numbers, and seeing Isadora embrace math reignited his own love for it.
Watching her progress beyond her grade level after a challenging start also made him curious about what the program could do for him as an adult and how far he could go. Because Bob had built trust in both Anita and the process, enrolling himself felt like a natural next step. What began as a joking question about becoming one of Anita’s students soon became a shared experience, with Bob completing his own Kumon worksheets alongside Isadora—and even enjoying a little friendly father-daughter competition along the way.
Today, the duo is taking on Kumon Math together. Bob is working through topics in algebra, while Isadora hopes to catch up to his level and has recently enrolled in the Reading Program as well. What began as one parent’s decision to support his daughter has grown into a shared commitment to learning. For parents who may feel unsure at the beginning, Bob offers simple advice: “Give the program a little more time and trust the process.” Their story is a reminder that learning has no age limit—and that sometimes, supporting a child’s journey can inspire a new one of your own.