- Circle of Glances.

The morning sun streamed through the glass windows of the kindergarten's multipurpose room, painting the semicircular arrangement of tables in golden light. On them rested steaming cups of coffee and trays overflowing with rolls and sliced apples. It was the parents' gathering, that annual ritual where smiles and expectations blended with the cheerful noise of children.

Lara arrived hand in hand with Thiago, her little emperor with dark curls, who greeted the others with a cheerful, "Hi, parents!" She, with her hair gathered into a loose braid and wearing a comfortable dress, took a deep breath before joining the group. As an independent mother, she had learned to savor these moments of everyday life: glances that did not judge, conversations about vaccines, and the first drafts of the new uniform designs.