I feel so yucky when I go along with Vori’s shenanigans and it’s super embarrassing when we get caught

As told to Perel Stone

Monday, September 13

Mommy made sure I spent the whole summer playing with Ruti, Malky, Avigayil, Adina and basically anyone that wasn’t Vori. She said I should always be nice to Vori and smile at her — she has a beautiful neshamah just like every other girl — but I can’t play with her until she finds better things to do with her time.

I feel so yucky when I go along with Vori’s shenanigans and it’s super embarrassing when we get caught, but it’s hard to find other girls to play with in school.

It’s really weird — a lot of girls like me when I come to their house to play. They call me all the time to ask if we can get together after school, and they act like they’re having a really good time. But, it’s like being my friend is a big secret they can’t let anyone in school know.

I wish I knew why.

Tuesday, December 21

We have Navi on Tuesdays. If every girl in the row remembers to bring their Navi to class, the Navi teacher gives the entire row a taffy. I forgot my Navi again this week, so even though I was the only one to forget, my entire row didn’t get a taffy. It’s the third week in a row that I forgot, so they were really mad at me. I hope I remember next week.

Thursday, February 3

This year we started Batya groups. We have madrichot that make activities for us, and programs for Shabbos afternoon. This coming Shabbos is Shabbat Achayot — Sister Shabbos, and we get to bring our little sisters and do activities with them.

I’m so excited to bring Dini. She’s three years old and soooo cute. We’re going to wear our matching black Shabbos dresses with the daisies all over them. I wish I could also bring Miri. She also has a matching dress, but she’s too little. I think it would be too hard to push her stroller all the way to school, and she might cry. I can’t wait for everyone to see how cute Dini is!

Motzaei Shabbos, February 5

Shabbos was okay. I got to Batya with Dini and the madrichah said that everyone should divide into groups with four or five pairs of sisters. Each group told me they were full already — even though I saw they didn’t have five pairs and some groups didn’t even have four.

I was standing there not knowing what to do when Dini and Chana’s little sister ran up to each other and started hugging. They’re in the same class and Chana and I didn’t even know. Right away Chana said that Dini and I would be in their group. After that we had a lot of fun and I almost forgot that no one had wanted us to join at first.

Mommy saw that Dini and I came home in a great mood and that made her very happy. I told her that at first no one wanted to include us. She said we ended up having a good time and girls are going to start to see how much fun it is to include me.

Tuesday, April 12

I forgot my Navi again. I forget almost every Tuesday. If I told Mommy to remind me, she would. But I keep forgetting to tell Mommy to remind me. I feel so stupid.

The girls in my row got so mad at me that I told them I did it on purpose just so they wouldn’t get a taffy. Maybe I really will start doing it on purpose. It’s so babyish to get taffies.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 917)