BAU Unit Chief Aaron 'Hotch' Hotchner was at his desk at the BAU when he got a call on his cell from King's Elementary school, where his 10 year old son Jack attended.
"This is Aaron Hotchner."
"Mr Hotchner, it's Mr Gibson here, Jack's teacher?"
"Oh hi Mr Gibson, everything okay? Jack okay?"
"Yeah but I was wondering could you come see me after school one day this week? There's something we need to talk about to do with Jack and his school work and I need a meeting with you if possible and whenever your home. It's just that he's been having a few problems and struggling a little and whilst I've been doing my best to help him, I think he may need a little extra help both at school and at home if possible. I want him to succeed and do his best, just like I do for every student in my class. So is there any chance we could meet up to talk after school one day within the next week? Discuss a few things."
"Of course. I'm actually home today and can come this afternoon if that's any good?"
"That's perfect Mr Hotchner. I really appreciate this. I hate to see any student in my class struggle and have problems and I want to do everything I can to help them. Would three o clock after school finishes be okay with you?"
"Of course. If Jack can stay at school whilst we're talking, I'll just take him home after."
"Actually, I think it would be a good idea if he was in the room with us and involved if that's okay so I was going to suggest he stay after school and be in the meeting with us."
"Whatever you think is best Mr Gibson is fine with me so that's no problem. I'll be there at three, okay?"
"Thanks again Mr Hotchner. I really appreciate it."
Aaron hung up just as Dave appeared at his door. Dave saw the worried look on Aaron's face.
"Everything okay Aaron?"
"I think so, Dave. That was Jack's teacher. I got a meeting with him after school at three to talk about something with Jack so I'll have to leave by half two. You mind covering me if I leave early?"
"No problem. Jack okay, Aaron? Anything I can do?"
"I knew he was finding his school work hard recently and struggling, Dave and I've been doing my best to help him but now it seems he's having more problems at it than I thought he was and needs extra help. I have to talk to his teacher about it today."
"I'm sure he'll be okay Aaron. You're an excellent dad and every kid struggles with some school work sometimes. I think the only one I know whose never had any problems and found school work easy is our genius kid down there."
"I'm sure your right Dave in that he'll be okay. It's just hard knowing my son's the one struggling right now when both he and I, plus his teacher, know he can do it."
At three o clock, Aaron was waiting outside Jack's classroom when the school bell rang to signal the end of the day and kids began to pile out of Jack's classroom and classrooms all around, all eager to get out of school and go home. Aaron waited until every kid had finished coming out of the classroom before going to the door. He hadn't seen Jack come out so figured Jack was still inside. He knocked on the door and opened it. He saw Jack sitting at his desk looking very unhappy and saw Mr Gibson, Jack's fifth grade teacher sitting at his desk at the front of the classroom
"Mr Gibson, okay if I come in?"
"Of course Mr Hotchner, come on in. It'll be okay Jack, I promise. This is just to help you, that's all. Everything will be okay."
"No it won't. I just can't do it. I'm just stupid. Hi dad."
"Hey buddy, you doing okay?"
"Yeah, do I have to be here, dad? Can't I wait outside?"
"It's better you're involved and in here whilst we talk okay buddy?"
"Can I at least go use the bathroom first Mr Gibson before we have to start talking about any of this?"
"If you promise you'll come straight back Jack then of course you can. And your dad's right, it's better that your involved and in here whilst we all talk, okay? You get to say what you want and give your opinions. We both really need to hear what you have to say and what you think too. Your input is the most important in all this. But you go ahead and use the bathroom first okay? In fact, if you wouldn't mind Mr Hotchner, I might go get us both some coffee."
"Sure, I could do with some."
"I'll be right back. Here, you can read these. This is some of the work Jack's done lately and these are from the beginning of the school year. I'll be right back. Hey Jack, if your dad's okay with you having it, how about I get you a soda to drink?"
"It's fine with me, Mr Gibson."
"Sure, thanks Mr Gibson, I'll be right back."
"So will I. Be back in a minute Mr Hotchner."
Aaron was left alone in the classroom for a few minutes. Jack returned first but, instead of going to his dad who sat next to Mr Gibson's desk, he hung his head and walked slowly to his desk and slumped down in his chair staring at his desk, clearly really not wanting to be there.
"It'll be okay, buddy. I promise. This will all be to help you that's all. I know you've been struggling some with school work some lately but I never realised it was this bad, Jack. What's been going on buddy? You know you can talk to me right?" Aaron stood up and went to sit at the desk next to his son "You were getting A's and B's at the beginning of the year, now suddenly it's not even being finished or coming back with E grades?"
"I don't know why dad, but, the work has suddenly just gotten too hard and I can't understand most of it. It's too complicated and difficult and I'm just too stupid to learn it. The other kids find it easy but I just find it too hard. I want to do it, I want to A's and make you proud and show you I can do it, but I don't know how and the work is just too hard and difficult to do. Plus it's suddenly more confusing and harder to read and remember. I'm just stupid dad. Dumb and stupid. I'll never be able to get it and do it." Jack just kept staring down at his desk doodling on a piece of paper with a pencil, unable to look at his dad. "I've been trying my hardest, dad, honest, I just can't get any of it."
"Jack, buddy, your not stupid and your not dumb. I know you can do it. Why haven't you said anything before now about the work getting too hard and you having problems like this?"
"Dunno, guess I want to do it and try, dad, honest. But when I can't, it just gets so frustrating and upsetting. Plus I don't want the other kids to know I can't do it. I don't wanna stand out and be different. They'll think I'm stupid. Plus I want you to be proud of me and when I can't do the work, I know I'm letting you down and you won't be pleased with me and you won't love me the same. You'll think I'm stupid if I can't do the work. And I feel ashamed that I can't get it and do the work when the other kids can. I don't like asking for help and raising my hand cos they'll all realise I'm struggling and I'll stand out in class so I keep quiet and just keep trying and struggling on my own. I'm sorry dad. I've let you down. I've been trying my hardest, honest I have, I just can't do it and I'm just stupid."
"Jack, look at me, please okay? Aaron got off the seat and squatted down in front of Jack's desk so that he could look his son straight in the eye. He waited until Jack raised his head enough to look straight into his eyes "Your not stupid, buddy. I know you can do it. Your so smart. Your not letting me down by struggling to do the work. In fact by doing all you have without anyone realising you've been having problems, I'm proud of how you've managed to struggle this far on your own. You make me proud every day Jack and I'm always so proud to call you my son. I promise your not letting me down. And I promise that I'll always love you so much, more than anything else in the world. No matter what happens or if your having problems, the amount of love I have for you will never change. I'll always love you so much and I'll always be so proud of you every day, buddy. Your my son. I don't care about the grades you get, you know that. I care about the effort you put in and ask you do your best. You've clearly been doing that so much. I care about you, not the school work and grades. Your my son and I love you so much, Jack. No matter what happens, you'll always be my son that I'm so proud of and love so much. I'm always here for you and I want to help you okay? Just because your struggling and finding the work difficult right now doesn't mean you can't do it, buddy. I know you can. Mr Gibson knows you can. You know you can. That's all that matters. This meeting we'll be having will only be to help you and find solutions which will mean you'll be able to do the work and get back on track. Everyone needs help sometimes. I bet your mates find the work difficult too and struggle with it sometimes. I know you don't want raise your hand and ask for help in class as you feel like everyone else would know you need help. But everyone needs to ask for help sometimes and that's what the teacher is there for. Mr Gibson is a really good teacher. We'll all figure out a way of helping you be able to do the work and find solutions to help you okay? Then when we get home, you and me can talk and figure out how I can help you at home, even if it means getting you a home tutor for a while or me taking some time off work and being home more okay? But there's no reason to feel ashamed and feel like your stupid. You not stupid, your certainly not dumb. Your so smart buddy, I know you can do the work. I believe in you, I always will believe in you. That's what dad's are for. To believe in and help their kids succeed. I'm only here to help you buddy. I'm your dad, I'll always be here to help you and to love you okay? So no matter what happens I love you so much and I'm so proud of you every day Jack. We'll figure stuff out today okay and before you know it, you'll find the work so easy and it'll be so easy."
"You mean it dad? I haven't let you down or made you feel sad that I can't seem to do the work and find it too hard? Your still proud of me, even now?"
"Buddy, I'm always so proud of you. Your my son. You haven't let me down and I don't feel sad just because your finding work difficult and need some help right now. Everyone needs help sometimes. I need help from my whole team on every case we work. We all help each other. We couldn't solve a case and catch even one bad guy without helping each other. We're a team. And you and me are a team right? We'll work together and I'll help you okay? Teams work together don't they? Together we can win and get it so you find school work easy again okay?"
"Yeah they do. Sure we can dad. We're the best team in the world. Thanks dad."
"That's the spirit buddy. Give it to me!" Aaron held out his fist and Jack smiled as he fist bumped his dad. "It's you and me against the world right?"
"Yeah, that's right dad!"
"Feel better now about it buddy?"
"Yeah!"
"Sorry about that guys. Like Jack, I too nipped to the bathroom. But got coffee and here Jack. The promised soda." Mr Gibson came back into the classroom holding two mugs of coffee and with a can of soda under his arm. He put the mugs and soda on the desk. "Jack why don't you bring your chair to here to sit next to your dad whilst we talk okay? I promise this is all only to help you. And you've done nothing wrong okay?"
"It'll all be okay buddy. We'll treat the school work like a bad guy okay? Work out a way to figure out how to beat it and win okay?"
"Okay dad."
"And how about mac n cheese with bacon for dinner when we get home, with ice cream after?"
"You promise dad?"
"I promise buddy. So you ready?"
"Okay."
Aaron helped his son move his chair so that he was sitting next to his dad, who sat down in the chair next to Mr Gibson at his desk. Mr Gibson handed Jack the can of soda and Aaron a mug of coffee.
"Thanks Mr Gibson."
"Oh I almost forgot, Dave gave me this to give to you when I told him I was coming to this meeting. He wanted you to have it." Aaron pulled out a Hershey candy bar from one of his jacket pockets that Dave had given him to give to Jack to cheer Jack up "And, if Mr Gibson is okay with you eating in the classroom, you can eat it whilst we talk."
"Even though usually there's a rule of no eating or drinking in the classroom, we're already breaking that rule with the drinks so you can eat it in here."
"A Hershey bar dad?" Jack's eyes went wide with happiness at the sight of the candy bar his dad handed him "For me?"
"Yeah buddy. Dave asked me to pass it onto you. You can go ahead and eat it during the meeting okay?"
"I can still have this soda now, and ice cream after a mac n cheese with bacon dinner though?"
"Course and tonight dinner will be veg free, how about that?"
"You promise no veg?"
"I promise, not even one carrot okay?"
"Awesome! Thanks dad!"