what are people opening with for the police dad character

The setup is heavier than most of the family-dynamic characters I've tried, specialized in getting kids out of neglectful homes, and now dealing with one who keeps disappearing every time his back is turned. Trying to figure out the right entry point. Starting mid-argument about school feels too abrupt, and starting completely calm feels like it skips past the tension the description sets up. What's everyone feeding it in the first message to get a scene that actually matches the weight of the premise?