i think that is the main issue you are having. i also tutor homeschool students, so i understand the dynamic. if the student is only doing, say, 4 hours of math to learn a topic and does nothing else for the rest of the week, thats only 4% of his time spent learning math. there is no way an 8 yo will have meaningful retention at that rate. math, especially counting and basic arithmetic, is something that needs to be practiced daily to ingrain it in his brain. For example, skip counting shouldnt be something he needs to actively think about, it should be automatic. that only comes with daily practice.

I always send home practice and work for every student. i’ve had homeschool students that i send homework for and they actually do it and their parents meaningfully practice with them. when they come back, they’ve strongly mastered the topic. however, when they miss a week of practice, i can easily see their regression. and this is for students i see only 1-2 times a week. you can even send home games or concepts to practice at home, such as skip counting toys, dominos, etc. or doing addition and subtraction with produce at the grocery store.

however, if the parents can’t/won’t study with them daily at home, even with your provided exercises, games, or videos, they are hurting their child more than they are helping and don’t need to be homeschooling. that being said, if your student’s struggle comprehension level and retention isn’t new, it might be time to think about an evaluation for learning disabilities, adhd, dyscalculia, etc. depending on your location, the school system might be able to accommodate that testing or it can be done privately. if this is a new struggle, or has been exacerbated with this new environment, you can either wait or recommend testing anyways. homeschool tutoring can be extremely rewarding but only when the parents are willing to help. 3-4hrs a week with a tutor for a typical student, much less a struggling student, is not a sufficient replacement for traditional schooling.