I felt my hands clench into fists. My ears started ringing and my temples started throbbing. Time to not mind my own business. I stepped forward and took a knee. “Hey, Martin,” I said. My voice was low, calm and friendly, just like with my students. He was a lot shorter than my typical students, but he was close to the same age.
“Excuse me!” The mother said, sounding offended.
I looked up. “I know I’m overstepping boundaries, but I think I can help.” She looked annoyed but made a motion for me to go on. “Your mother’s giving you a choice,” I said. “Isn’t that neat?”
“But I want both,” the kid said.
I nodded. “Yeah, both would be pretty cool. But think about it this way. You’re getting a choice.” His crying quieted a little. He wasn’t on board, but he was listening.