TORONTO, ONTARIO, June 3, 2013 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Every day our children bear much more stress than their parents ever did at their age. These children are bombarded with negative messages everywhere they turn and many are living with difficult circumstances that aren’t going to go away anytime soon. It is easy for children to feel overwhelmed and depressed, which can have tremendous effects on their emotional and physical well-being.*

Evelyn ten Hagen and Michelle Hutchinson, creators of Malcolm Dooswaddle’s Good Day, witness the effects of this stress on children in their classrooms each and every day. Evelyn, who authored the book says, “We really started out just wanting to empower these kids and help them understand that how they view the world is their choice, no matter what is going on in their lives.” Thus the idea for their new book was born. “We didn’t want to preach to children or make them feel bad, we just wanted to show them that there is a better way, a happier way to be,” offers Michelle, the book’s illustrator.

The story of Malcolm is a story that many children can relate to. Malcolm goes about each day depressed and angry, feeling as if everything bad is happening to him. His self esteem is low and he can’t understand why everyone else seems to be happy. A chance encounter with a man at a soup kitchen makes all the difference as Malcolm starts to grasp the idea that happiness is much more about your perspective in life than about events or circumstances.

The hope of the creators is that children really understand this message – that they are in control of their attitude and how they respond to the world. As they choose to be happy and expect good things, those good things will find them. “While we didn’t write this for adults, it is amazing to see the positive feedback from parents and hear how they too, have decided to make changes to their own attitudes. Children watch adults and if all the adults in a child’s life are negative and defeatist, the child will be too,” shares Evelyn.

They both agree that while the world continues to go through unprecedented change which can have some very strong impacts on families, it is important to remember that this is their childhood and the memories they create, and coping skills they learn now, will carry on to adulthood. The book’s positive message of empowerment is just one step to giving children the skills to make their own childhood happier and less stressful.

*American Psychological Association report “Stress in America.”

About the Creators

Evelyn ten Hagen
Evelyn ten Hagen was born and raised in Northern Ontario, Canada. She currently resides in Richmond Hill, where she has been teaching elementary students for the past sixteen years at TMS School.

Michelle Hutchinson
Michelle Hutchinson has been teaching elementary students for the past eleven years at TMS School in Richmond Hill, Ontario. She has always enjoyed combining her love of art with her love of teaching.
You can visit the authors on their Facebook page: Malcolm Dooswaddle’s Good Day

Media Contact
Michelle Hutchinson, 416-937-0063



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Michelle Hutchinson
Michelle Hutchinson
416-937-0063
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