Children’s Books about Ageism? Meet Roser Rovira

1) How did you start writing children’s books?

When I moved to Poland with my family at the age of 40, I began a bedtime routine with my young kids. Each night, I asked them to choose a word, and using those words, I created short stories. They loved listening to these stories before falling asleep, and sometimes they even got excited. Impressed by the positive reactions, I decided to write down some of these stories. When I read them to my children, they enjoyed recalling the tales, and this marked the beginning of my journey into the world of children’s books.

2) Why is teaching kids about ageism important to you?

Ageing is a natural part of life that we all experience. Each stage of life has its own joys and challenges. Unfortunately, our society often glorifies youth, emphasising young bodies, young minds, and a carefree existence without wrinkles. As someone who is now 52, I recall feeling unhappy with my body and having a cluttered mind when I was younger. However, I’ve grown more confident with age and have a clearer understanding of my desires and capabilities. Children are often led to believe that reaching their prime is the pinnacle of life, and after that, it’s all downhill. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I want to convey to them that growing old is a normal and rewarding part of life, with its own ups and downs, but far better than they might imagine.

3) Can you share more about your Catalan blog focused on positive news about ageing? What inspired you to pursue this endeavour?

When my father-in-law turned 75, I wanted to find uplifting poems about old age. However, it proved challenging to locate positive poems on this topic; most were overly gloomy and pessimistic. This led me to search for positive news stories about older people, despite the difficulty in finding them. The pursuit was worthwhile, not just for myself but also for the many readers of my blog. In fact, I’ve even engaged high schoolers in my efforts, encouraging them to find positive news about older individuals and share them with me so that I can feature these stories on my blog.

4) Which myth or negative interpretation of ageing bothers you the most?

The idea that older individuals are worthless or that we do not have dreams deeply troubles me the most. Society often portrays ageing as the end of one’s value and the closing of possibilities. However, I know firsthand that this is far from true. We have immense worth, and we continue to have dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Our journey is not over; there is still much ahead for us to explore and achieve.