Maite Butron

Ethel Goes to The Market Maite Butron

The Ethel the Echidna series are childrens' books with simple stories that gently show both personal and social boundaries encouraging the healthy development of children. These stories introduce the practice of mindfulness, emphasizing the importance of awareness about choice when it comes to our behaviour. This story was designed to address the concepts of managing complicated emotions and meeting individual needs. Recognising individual needs and explaining appropriate boundaries are fundamental to a child's wellbeing and self-esteem. Ethel feels physical discomfort and uses this as a cue to pause and unpack her feelings. By reflecting on her initial response, Ethel considers how her emotions might affect herself and Claudia. Ethel recognises her individual need for alone time and clearly expresses herself. The honest exchange between the two echidnas sets up the opportunity for an authentic relationship.