Teachers report using these books for studying poetry, examining simile, getting students to write about their own relationships with their parent, and for holiday exercises for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Christmas. Pre-schools in Georgetown had children draw pictures of activities they enjoy doing with their parent. Brother Gary’s first and second graders at St. Ignatius Loyola school in Denver, CO, wrote and illustrated their own “I am your..., you are my...” verses modeled after the books. For his inner city school with many children in single-parent homes, the books are ideal because they are gender neutral and do not make a child feel slighted for not living with both father and mother. Classes did extraordinary exercises with the “dandelion wish” and “prayer” verses, asking students to articulate what they would wish or pray for. English as a Second Language classes at Midway Manor School in Allentown, PA, appreciated the book for its simple portrayal of daily parent/ child activities. For students and parents learning English, the book’s subject matter and pictures offered helpful hooks for learning English. Fifth grade teacher Jennifer Kenealy at Braddock Elementary in Annandale, VA, used the book to illustrate the definition and use of simile, and had students write their own similes similar to the books’ couplets. Teacher trainer Lynn Birus uses the books in professional development sessions nationally. She asks the teachers to consider their own relationship with their students– are they a stable, guiding force allowing students the confidence to explore? She has them describe the student/ teacher dynamics after considering the adult/ child dynamics described in the books. Teachers use the book at Valentine’s Day to help children express their own love for their families. For Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Christmas, the books are helpful for discussing and writing about holiday traditions in children’s families. Colleges use the book for Parent’s Weekend, and to illustrate the globalization of children’s books.

Parents use the books to express their own unconditional love for their children, and to help children express their feelings toward their parents. Parents report that the “day winding down to bedtime” themes make the books favorites for bedtime read-alouds. The child bear repeatedly gets into mischief, while the parent continues to love the child. This is a natural spring board for parents to reassure their children that they will always love them. Military parents serving away from their children, widowed, separated, and divorced parents all love these books; the gender- neutral description and pictures of “parents” fit their family situations. Parents who do not live with their children report phoning their children for frequent phone readings of the book, as a way to reassure their children of their love while absent. Parents of handicapped and learning challenged children report the books are a great consolation. Their children may never be the star soccer player or top speller, but they richly appreciate spending time in simple family activities together. The books are favorite baby shower and new parents gifts. Parents with difficult pregnancies have read the books daily during bed rest and hospitalization, to help visualize the life with their children that awaits once they make it through tough pregnancies.

Librarians use the book for family story hours and preschool story time, especially on themes of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, the Christmas season, National Poetry Week, Children’s Book Week., family life, and bedtime. Discussions include activities and traditions you enjoy with your family, what you would wish for if you could make any wish, how to say “I Love You” in several languages. Activities include teddy bear picnics and pajama story times. Arts and crafts include making Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas cards, coloring teddy bears, and writing “dandelion wishes.”

Preachers use the books as a meditation on finding God in each other and family life, for children’s liturgies, services for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and the Christmas season. The books have been read and preached on from the pulpit, and work particularly well on the topics of God the Father (if God is truly a loving parent, what exactly does that mean?), “love one another as I have loved you,” “little children come to me,” finding God in all things, God and love in family life.

Literacy Groups such as Jason King’s “Turning the Page” in Washington, DC, use the book to encourage parents to read to their children, thus promoting literacy across generations. Activities include using the book to talk about good parenting skills, the importance of spending quiet, quality, family time, and the emotional as well as educational benefits of reading with your children at least twenty minutes every day.