Dear Shayna B.,

I love your articles and trust your advice. So here’s my question: I am having a bat mitzvah soon and my parents and school are forcing me to invite everyone in the grade. I don’t want to sound mean, but I don’t like everyone in my grade, especially one girl. I don’t want to invite her. Am I wrong? Should I invite her?

Dear Bat Mitzvah Party Penina,

I understand your dilemma; let’s figure it out together. It sounds like you’ll probably have a lot of guests, which means you can’t talk to everybody, if you know what I’m hinting at. Also, you’ll probably be so wrapped up in everything that you’ll hardly notice “The Unwanted.”

“The Unwanted” probably doesn’t like you that much either, so she’ll probably just say your dress is nice and not talk to you for the rest of the evening. For one night, would it kill you to just let it go and be happy? You probably will go to her bat mitzvah, if you haven’t yet gone. So try to be happy and not feel negativity because it’s your bat mitzvah and it’s your chance to be happy, be kind, and (not lastly) have presents. In fact, tell me the address and I’ll show up with a gift.

Shayna is a sixth grader and knows what kids in elementary school and middle school are going through. She can be reached at [email protected]. She’s looking forward to hearing from you!