It's lunchtime. On the table is a bowl of pumpkin soup and some slices of hake. With a menu like this, it's easy to guess—though there are always exceptions—what the child's reaction will be: huffs, whines, and a plea. They'd prefer French fries and a hamburger. What do we do? Educational psychologist Anna Serra Dolcet explains that, faced with such a situation—where the challenge of setting limits arises—parents experience a mix of emotions, ranging from frustration and worry about what will happen if their child doesn't eat, to guilt. A quick response is usually, "You're eating this because I said so," or "I'll cook something else because the important thing is that you end up eating." Between authoritarianism and permissiveness, however, there is, according to Serra, a space for dialogue (depending on the child's age), openness, and diverse suggestions, from which everyone will benefit.

Perhaps they've worn a pair of socks of each color or summer flip-flops in the middle of winter... This is what can happen if children have absolute freedom when it comes to choosing their clothes. A freedom that will undoubtedly help them "enhance" and "develop" their autonomy (and also their self-esteem). This is according to Mònica González, a social psychologist. However, without a "clear limit," adds this expert, on the type of clothing they can choose, for example, or to what extent there can be negotiation, setbacks like these will arise. "Although the quick and easy solution would be for me—the parent—to choose the clothes and, thus, adapt the clothing to the temperature and colors, we must consider the consequences. Educating children in autonomy involves having to negotiate and accept that children make decisions and mistakes," she clarifies. The final result will take more time, but we will foster an autonomy that will serve both for clothing and any other aspect of daily life.

They are always available to intervene when there are conflicts. Far from imposing punishments, they seek solutions. They also offer a perspective different from that of the parents and, when necessary, set limits, but without the burden of demanding them. They are an emotional refuge where children and young people find advice, trust, complicity, and understanding; furthermore, they never lose (or almost never...) their desire to play. Uncles and aunts are essential figures within the family system. Despite the fact that society, and consequently the family structure, has evolved toward new formulas, they continue to have influence and can even become role models, helping, ultimately, to build a tribe.

Warm-eyed, playful, or full of curiosity, but also astute, inquisitive, and even hardworking. Cats and dogs have become unique and irreplaceable companions for humans. In Catalan homes, pets now outnumber children up to 14 years of age by 54%, according to cross-referenced data from the Council of Veterinary Colleges of Catalonia (CCVC) and the Catalan Institute of Statistics (Idescat). Those who care for them often display their pets publicly on social media. "It's no longer seen as strange to love a pet as a member of the family; on the contrary, it's socially valued. Images with animals also give a closer and more tender view of the person," says Paula Calvo, an anthrozoologist and ethologist. The new animal welfare law, approved in February 2023, reflects this shift in societal awareness and values the rights and recognition of companion animals. Therefore, adopting one not only expands the family but also contributes to "individual and social well-being," this expert points out. Below, famous people who have pets at home explain the greatness of owning and living with them. Warmth and laughter, but also fear and anger. The feelings that animals inspire in us are, in fact, very diverse, and a universal trait.

Accessorizing dogs and cats is a common practice. Nowadays, it's no longer just bows and coats. Especially in the summer, accessories of all kinds proliferate: hats, flip-flops, and even costumes, which are added to aesthetic practices such as painting their nails or dyeing their hair. Behind all this, for the most part, there is a process of humanization—or rather, anthropomorphization—of animals, that is, an attribution of human characteristics to beings that are not. Experts warn that, while some humanization is inevitable and the result of coexistence, the use of certain ornaments and the desire to follow trends funny In the eyes of others, they can put the well-being and health of animals at risk.

It's the night, the darkness... That's responsible for their fear. Not seeing clearly, among other things, sets off an inner alarm. Then, distrust, discomfort, and a feeling of helplessness increase; and anguish and fear appear, even making them imagine a monster is coming. However, the day is simply ending, and everything that's enigmatic about the darkness is calm and warm. It's enough to show these qualities to the child or young person (and be with them) for them to savor them. Summer can be a great time: the cool night air invites you to go outside as the day fades. Besides, these are ideal months for stargazing and doing all kinds of outdoor activities, not to mention summer camps and summer retreats, where nighttime games are—for those who have already grown out of them—true fun.

Unique decor, activities designed to entertain the children, varied food, and, as a grand finale, a gift for guests to take home a souvenir of the day. A magazine-worthy (or, better said, Instagrammable) party—and surely also at a significant financial cost. But who's really the star of the celebration? The parents (to show off) or the child who's turning another year older? Imma Marín, president of the Institut del Joc, brings us closer, with her advice, to a genuine birthday party: without too many complications and where the child participates—according to the family's criteria and values—in the decision-making. "Their involvement is essential. Not only in deciding, but also in taking responsibility and doing things," she emphasizes. "The simpler and more straightforward the party, the more we make it accessible to the child. On the other hand, if we distance it from what the child can decide and participate in, it will be a party meant to look good—and everything will be adorable—but it will be harder for them to feel it's theirs."

Grandmother and grandfather: the mother or father of the mother or father... But also, you can call him godfather (colloquially, in Mallorca, pradine), and to her, nona (inspired by the Italian way of designating grandmother). In the Spanish version, we find the grandmother and the grandfather. Of originals, with ingenuity, we find arari (which derives from the phrase "now comes grandpa"), babimia (a compound formed by Josep Maria and grandfather), or others like Oh (grandmother messy) and Ava; apart from sweets iayuchi, mimi and güelis, and curious people like mamamama (that is, twice a mother).

The loss of a family member is a moment that tears at the seams and shakes internal structures. Even if the situation is disturbing or uncomfortable, children and adolescents need to find answers to their concerns about death. In the family, it's time for conversation: to bring out the beliefs we hold and to talk about it in a balanced and open way. Has grandparent gone to heaven? Or does life just end? What we do and say will largely determine how children—and, in turn, we—go through this grieving process. Will seeing the lifeless body help them realize that grandparent will never be there again? These and other questions about how children and young people experience death are answered by Marta Butjosa, educator and therapist.

Among the words hidden in the word search there are fast, charity, Passover... Concepts specific to the Easter calendar, which religion teacher Pau Estanyol uses to introduce them in the class he teaches at La Vall del Terri School (Pla de l'Estany). Of the more than 250 students at the school, only two in the first year of primary school and one in the second year are taking this subject. This is the reality experienced by many Catalan public schools: the percentage of students who took religion in public schools during the 2023-2024 academic year was 10.50% (69,571 students out of 662,315 total students), according to data from the Department of Education. In private schools, including subsidized schools, the figure rises to 62.73% (198,696 students out of 320,821 total students).

It's time to go to bed, and even though the baby hasn't been breastfeeding for months, or perhaps years, he still has a special fondness for her. He comes closer, needs to put his hand on her to hear her touch, to feel his mother's breasts with a hug... Something awakens inside him when he comes closer. It's a vivid memory of the breastfeeding he did. In broad daylight, even seeing his mother's breasts, a gesture of admiration may spontaneously emerge: "Mom, those tits!" This adoration is nothing other than love for his mother. As simple and as grand as that. This is explained by Imma Marcos, midwife and president of the Association of Home Birth Midwives of Catalonia (ALPACC). A common need in childhood that often conditions the baby's ability to fall asleep. On the other hand, the mother may not want to be touched and wants to regain her personal space.

He's present every day. He's simply part of the family. For some, he's become unattainable, distant, and absent; for others, he can be a rival or even a hindrance that forces them to learn to share. A sibling is and always will be a sibling, but this figure loses all meaning when it lacks the most important thing: the bond. An affinity that ignores age variables because there can be a great difference but, at the same time, great cohesion; or there can be disinterest, rivalry, and competition, yet they can be only months apart. And when siblings aren't blood relatives? The realities of separated families (or other types) add new variables. What doesn't change—and never will—is that the bond between siblings depends, in and of itself, on many factors, and that, in these situations, the parents—who have a lot to say and do—become a pillar that tips the balance toward a context of conflict or resolution.

Any activity is fine: reading a book, having to finish a paper for work, a phone call or a daily task like washing dishes. Whatever it is, sooner or later the unwanted moment of interruption always comes – and, according to experts, it is good that it does so. That complaint, question, demand or protest that the child makes and that disrupts the adult's intention to start and finish an action, so that, when it is repeated more than once, a constant stopping and restarting occurs. Is it possible to share space for a while without the need for the child to constantly interact with us and, nevertheless, be a present and significant figure? The answer is yes, but with nuances. Anna Romeu, clinical psychologist and specialist in emotional education, tells us.

The bond between a dog (and also a cat) and its owner can be so intense that when the person who cared for it dies, the animal "feels it terribly because, apart from a dietary and physiological dependence, there was also an emotional bond," says veterinarian Ricard Adán. From then on, who will be its new guardian? In the will or in the advance directive document, or in a contract, it can be written that a family member, a friend or, for example, a shelter will take care of it, even granting them an amount of money for its care, among other options. However, the reality is far from that: the shelters, shelters and refuges are the ones that really take care of it, because most of the animals end up abandoned. On the other hand, the money or the property - if they have been deposited to care for it - ends up, mostly, in the pockets of the heirs or legatees.