You'd think she suffered a personal trauma or lost a relative
But no, she just changed schools. That's literally it.
Imagine if her mom died or something
That was one of the points of the movie - that all these incredibly strong feelings and drama was over... everyday stuff. Not tragedy, not heartbreak, just an ordinary middle-class kid having first world problems.
Emotions don't have to be about some big issue to be strong, or valid. Feelings are feelings, they're there, and they're probably running the show even when we think we're being logical and rational.
Exactly.
Also, from a parent's perspective, it's about a child growing up and becoming a preteen (and later a teen). It's an insanely confusing time for a person, and it often catches parents off guard.
It's completely realistic. i can't tell you how many times one of my kids will be absolutely throwing a fit or freaking out about something that makes us absolutely panic inside. What's wrong? What happened? What is going on? It must be something horrible! Crazy, horrible thoughts going through our heads.
Kid: "I can't find my Anthony Rizzo shirt!"
Parent: "Ok, well, here's Javier Baez. Will that work?"
Kid: "Oh, sure. That's fine."
And done.
If only every crisis were that simple to handle. But the cause is very often just that simple.