In a Canberra Times article on 7 May 2004, kindergarten teacher Jan Marsh said of the program that: 'some of the lessons had been utilised in the playground with students becoming more empathetic towards classmates who might be angry or lonely. She said feedback had shown that children had understood and appreciated the messages about kindness and caring for others.'

Jan says: "Being involved in the GROWING KIDS program was one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences of my teaching career. When Maisie and I first began planning the program for Torrens Primary School, neither of us had any idea how powerful it would be in enhancing the students' abilities to recognise needs in others and respond in a thoughtful and caring manner.

"The program began in 2003 with 'Growing Nash'. Students from Kindergarten and their Year 5 buddies followed the development of a puppy from birth to maturity, discovering its personality, its needs and the rewards that pet ownership can bring to humans.

"In 2004 and 2005, the program was extended to include regular contact with a human baby of the same age as the puppy.

"GROWING KIDS provides a facilitated 30 to 45 minute session, an outline of the session, ideas for follow up AND a real puppy and a real baby to observe. The interest and excitement exhibited by the students from the moment our visitors first walk into the room ensures success.

"Explicit teaching of the language of feelings, needs, body language and the role of positive reinforcement in learning were the most powerful concepts developed in my classroom as follow-ups to the program.

"Being part of the program has had a lasting effect on my teaching career. It opened new pathways and added 'zest' to my classroom teaching. I highly recommend the 'Growing' program if you are wanting fun, excitement and a new slant on life!"

The Growing Program provides students with important and unique learning opportunities. It helps children of different ages to work together to explore the issues of growth and development of babies and puppies. It includes the very real lessons of caring for another living being, developing empathy for that person and animal, understanding their own place in the community, exploring their own values and developing a set of values that includes caring for others.

Over the two years we have operated the Growing Program at Weston Creek Primary School we have seen the delight in the children's faces when they have welcomed their visitors. Having the baby and the puppy visit the classroom and share the spotlight with the presenters has been a wonderful learning tool. Children from Kindergarten and Year 1 have been able to share the experience with their Year 6 buddies. This has provided another opportunity for our buddy program to operate in the school - enhancing the leadership potential of our senior students and nurturing our younger students.

The program has provided the children with "hands-on" experience with young and well trained dogs. Important lessons have been learned about how to approach dogs, appropriate touching, reading the dog's body language and acting accordingly. For young children who have been afraid of dogs it has provided invaluable information and opportunities to practice new skills.

The Growing Program provides a motivational point for a lot of discussion and activities relating to everyday life, families and pets. Just as we look after babies and give them care and love, children are taught that their pets also require similar levels of commitment to care and attention.

"I think it's a truly wonderful program and one which I have noticed made a real difference to my young son who has been doing your program.

"His understanding of the needs of people and animals and their feelings have been topic of discussion in our home on many a day. He seems to posses a deep understanding of empathy, respect, fairness and kindness to others and often picks up on peoples' feelings and wants to do something to help them straight away which I think is such a lovely skill to possess for a person of such a young age.

"Thank you for allowing us this wonderful opportunity and I hope you continue this program for many years to come as I believe it is so beneficial to the children."

"(The program) made me, as a parent of young children and an experienced dog owner look at the interactions between children and dogs in a fresh light.

"The program emphasised the benefits of pet ownership and interaction by encouraging empathy and the understanding of others by the children.

"Some of these children were initially apprehensive of Ping, but with their peers interacting with her confidently and Maisie helping them realise that Ping was also young and possibly a bit nervous, their reticence was replaced with acceptance and often the petting of Ping.

"The program exposed children to other ways of dealing with dogs and animals. Some children have only ever seen animals dealt with in a harsh manner; one boy mentioned to me that he thought that dogs could only be trained with hits. This program let him see that there are alternatives which work.

"Over the course of the year, the children made some thoughtful insights into how a puppy perceives the world, and a puppy's growth compared to theirs. It let them see how much growing and changing young animals do, and how much care goes into the pup's development.

"Growing Kids and Pups also provided great socialising experiences for my pup, so much so, that if children are around, she thinks they're there for her entertainment."

"Children growing up today have far fewer opportunities to get to know babies and how the babies learn to communicate with bigger people. Families are smaller, with most siblings close together in age, so that they are babies together instead of being big enough to help with the caring. There are fewer babies in our neighbourhoods too and extended families seldom live nearby. More children are in child care than in the past - but there are fewer opportunities to get to know the babies there too. The reason for this is often considerations of safety. The end result is that for many young adults, the first baby they get to spend time with is their own!"

"At the same time, research into early development, particularly early brain development, is showing that our very earliest experiences are critical in our whole-of-life social development, so that how we react to other people, including our babies, is greatly influenced by our earliest experiences with other people. When children get to know a baby in their class room, they are given an excellent opportunity to think about how babies show their feelings and learn to communicate with the people in their world. It also gives the children an excellent opportunity to think about how they recognise babies' feelings and their friends' feelings; and grown ups' feelings too."

"It has been shown that children who have these learning opportunities seem better able to 'connect' with others and be tuned to feelings, including their own."

"Empathy is a significant factor in developing caring and sympathetic individuals so that what they do today has a positive affect on tomorrow. Empathy education has started to receive attention over the recent years due to violence towards animals and violence towards humans becoming increasingly evident. Initiatives such as the 'Growing Kids and Pups Program' are paramount in our efforts, as educators, to equip children with the social and cognitive skills needed to be kind and compassionate individuals."

"This excellent program provides an opportunity for children to learn how to care for and train a puppy properly and how to interact appropriately with a member of another species.

"When children see the similarities between our species - such as responding to positive motivation and developing interactive social skills - it helps them to develop empathy and confidence. When the differences are explained - such as the different way dogs and humans communicate through body language and the different ways our senses view the world - the children develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of others, regardless of species.

"The program also enhances child safety by teaching the children appropriate and inappropriate behaviour around dogs. This is essential learning if we are to reduce the incidence of dog bites to children. Most dog bites are not random acts of violence and can be easily avoided.

"Finally the program gives children the opportunity to learn that communication is about more than just words. Puppies and babies are very effective communicators without the need for speech. Understanding this, and learning how to interpret the non-verbal signals, is an essential part of learning the effective communication skills so necessary in life."