I can relate to what you are writing about, as I too always wanted to help people and found it hard to draw the line between helping them and just plain being too helpful. Since I have had to live on very little money for the past few years, I have found ways to do things and buy things on a limited budget. I had a friend who was in need of some items and so whenever I saw the items she was looking for I would call her. However, I was thinking on my terms of low income reasonable prices and she was thinking in terms of money is no object. So I had to learn to modify my habits of wanting to over help and tune down to being helpful if someone ask for help. Now I know that your intentions were good in this case, and I might have done as you did, tell the mother. More than likely it was the son who denied saying that he would hurt himself and the mother was acting offended, as if her boy would never lie to her, so she decided to put you in your place. I think it is horrible when people treat others that way. She should have been greatful that you cared enough to let someone know. So don't be upset with yourself on this one, I am proud you had the courage to speak up and say something. Just think if you had let it go and something bad happened to that boy, then you would have felt worse. Learning how to be helpful, but not to helpful, is hard. I am still working on that one. This website has information on lots of things, maybe this would be a good question to ask Clyde. Have a good day !!