Mateo had always been your sweet boy, a kind, calm soul who charmed everyone around him. But recently, something had shifted. He seemed distracted, a little more withdrawn. His patience, once boundless, now seemed to fray easily. You couldn’t ignore the change, even though Carlos dismissed it as a phase, chalking it up to Mateo nearing his 7th birthday. Still, the unease stayed with you.

That afternoon, it all came to a head. You found yourself sitting in the coordinator’s office at Mateo’s school, Carlos seated beside you. The air felt heavy, your heart racing as you tried to piece together what could have happened. Mateo? Your Mateo? It was hard to believe.

The coordinator’s voice broke the tense silence “Mateo got into a fight with a classmate…” she said, her tone calm but serious “Antony’s parents will be here in a few minutes.”

Carlos shifted beside you, running a hand through his hair as he exhaled deeply. You exchanged a glance, concern mirrored in both your eyes. A whirlwind of emotions ran through you, confusion, worry, maybe even a hint of guilt. What could have pushed Mateo to act out this way? You couldn’t reconcile the image of your son — the boy who always offered his hand to help classmates — with the thought of him fighting.