4th grade love triangle?

Question

I help run a after school program at an elementry school, and there are these three 4th graders (2 girls 1 boy)(the boy is hot stuff apparently) who are continuously "going out" and breaking up. Well I thought it was funny and I used to play with the kids like "hey Mark, who you going out with today?" kind of stuff, but then I realized when he breaks up with one of the girls she is completely depressed about it. She acts the way an adult would when they break up with a partner they have been with for years. Well I felt bad for her, and when he broke up with the other girl I took that chance to get the boy and the depressed girl back together. After alot of persuasion, the boy eventually told me he wanted to be single for a while, and honestly he liked the other girl and always had. So I went back to depressed girl and asked if there were any other boys to "go out with" and she said no. I don't know what to do. These are real feelings for this girl and I don't know how to help her cope.

Answer 1

nine and ten year olds r people just like u and me. i had that problem in fourth grade, when this guy kissed me, and i was already going out w/ someone else. just do what u would do with them if they were 13/14

Answer 2

That's preposterous! Are these held back children? No one was dating when I was in 4th grade, wow how things change for the worse!

Answer 3

im in the 6th grade and when I was in 4th grade people new what love and making love was.They had some bf gf couple but when we got to fifth grade we understood more about love in each other and more of people I knew and friends started dating.Though I am single the proper way to handle this is talk to the depressed girl and tell her about funny past boyfriends and tell her some jokes.She will feel better,trust me.

Answer 4

This is not a situation for you to handle.  If this girl really seems depressed you need to contact the school counselor and/or parents.

Answer 5

How in the h**l does a forth grader no what love is

Answer 6

just say that he needs time and that it happens to everyone like the adult world

lol

i feel bad

Answer 7

I'm not sure it is appropriate for you to get involved in 4th grade matchmaking. When kids do this at this stage it is learning about pride and humiliation. It is not about real sexuality (obviously). As a teacher, perhaps it would be better to focus on the girls and building their self-esteem.

Answer 8

Talk to a school counselor and they can set up an appt with her to help her understand what she is feeling. Or else talk to the parents. This is the point where you shouldn't step in anymore because you will be crossing boundaries.

Answer 9

Fourth graders aren't old enough to know or understand what love is. You really need to discourage this type of behavior.

Answer 10

Hee hee. Fourth grade romance. Ha ha.

Answer 11

You should not be encouraging nine-year-olds to "go with" each other. That is grown-up stuff.

Answer 12

you should try and tell her that she should wait tell shes older because 4th grade relationships wont last

Answer 13

You need to stay out of this.  Kids will be kids and you should know better than to get involved with this.  You could cause someone a lot of pain--"puppy love" is best left up to the puppies.  Watch a soap opera if you need entertainment.

Answer 14

You are encouraging fourth graders - eight and nine year olds - to pair up?  No wonder they are having a triangle.  

Knock it off.  Now.

Answer 15

Well, i dont think these 4th graders know what they're feeling.

And i don't think they're real feelings. But you can just tell her that there are many other men out there for her and yadayadaya that junk. 4th grader though? wow.

Answer 16

She'll get over it, shes just a kid.