Friendship Fatigue

I am feeling like this was the theme for this week, and I am defining as "teacher exhaustion due to student-friendship stress disorder." Common symptoms of student-friendship stress disorder are uncontrollable crying, irrational jumping to conclusions, and sudden unwillingness to talk to a friend about what is bothering you. Student-friendship stress disorder typically occurs due to a lack of empathy between friends, a reliance on a signal friend for all of your attention, or jealousy when a friend's circle of friendship begins to grow.
Case Study 1: Student A is crying in class. Student B rushes over to console student A and to ask what is wrong. Student A does not respond. The case study manager, CSM, (also known as "teacher") intervenes and offers student A the opportunity to take a break for a moment to discuss the matter. Student A does not wish to discuss the matter but takes a break to remove attention from herself. After a short while, the CSM finds an opportunity to check in with student A and is able to determine the cause for student A's emotional response--student A feels like student B does not want to be her friend anymore. At this time, the CSM points out that when student A was crying in the classroom, student B was the first classmate to console student A and attempt to find out what was wrong. This would lead the CSM to determine that student B does, in fact, want to be student A's friend. The CSM asks if these feelings in student A have anything to do with the fact that A and B no longer have as many classes together due to a schedule change, and student A confirms this is the cause. The CSM suggests that student A talks with B about setting up additional opportunities for friendship engagement activities, but A responds that she feels too embarrassed, so the CSM offers to talk with A and B together; A likes this idea. A and B decide to set up a sleepover party for the coming weekend.
Case Study 2: Student C enters the classroom looking rather sad. The CSM asks what is wrong, and student C explains that she feels like student D is being "stolen" away by student E. At this time, the CSM recalls that student C shared information with the class about how she had a very enjoyable playdate with student E the prior weekend, so the CSM asked why she felt this was happening. Student C shared that E has been asking D to sit with her at lunch. The CSM pointed out that students C and D have a similar class schedule with a lot of time to spend together, while student E does not. It appears to the CSM as though student E is looking to use the few times she has available to build a friendship with D. Seeing as student C is already friends with both D and E, the CSM recommends that C invites D and E to have lunch with her.
Case Study 3 (currently ongoing, and quite fatiguing): Students F and G have a rather fragile friendship, mainly due to social struggles that student F has and a tendency to react negatively when minor problems occur. As the year has progressed, this friendship has become more and more susceptible to student-friendship stress disorder. These occurrences have compounded following some of student G's own social struggles. The inability of student F to understand the dysregulations that student G is experiencing leads to additional negative responses. My hope is that a very recent trip to the doctor for student G will help to calm her dysregulated behaviors to the point where students F and G can have a peaceful, rational conversation concerning their student-friendship stress disorder. Additional research will be needed.
Mindfulness thought for the week: Be the change you want to see in the world.  --Mahatma Ghandi