Note for Parents and Educators

The relationships captured in "Four plus Two: Tales for the pet lover’s heart™" are illustrations of strong and earnest bonds built between people and animals. There are critical understandings necessary for creating such bonds. As with all understanding, learning and practice are key. On the pages that follow, an engaging and interactive series of activities is presented to invite you and your family to learn and practice the skills needed for understanding the heartwarming bond that is possible between you and your pet.

Very often, learning activities focus on mastering content… like "how to care for your pet." These activities, while having a sound educational foundation, go deeper, focusing on concepts instead of content; the "why" rather than the "what". They center on the universal characteristics of caring, communication, consistency and leadership. These concepts are key to strengthening relationships. They apply both to the pet/person bond and the person to person bond.

With an emphasis on developmentally appropriate activities, the learning curriculum is spiral in nature. Over time, learners will encounter the same underlying concepts repeatedly, but with increasing levels of sophistication. Repeat and challenging practice creates lifelong understanding.

By participating in these activities, you will also be reinforcing national education standards. These standards and benchmarks are highlighted for each age selection.

Begin today to learn about and understand the shared connection with your pet… and then share your experiences with us.