Find out what his or her situation is. But I've noticed that you seem to need to leave quickly at night. If so, perhaps we could have Tim's project ready to take home when you arrive. If the parent does not have a deadline, talk about how the child feels. If the parent does have time pressures, talk about how else the parent could meet the child's needs.
Children often have great expectations of parents.
When parents don't meet those expectations, the child may feel hurt, rejected, or angry. These feelings will be especially strong if the child also senses that you are upset with the parent. Therefore, be positive in front of the child. Help children understand why parents act the way they do. Wait for Beth to describe how she feels.