"Why won't he/she stop crying?" "Why can't I stop crying?" "Will I ever sleep again?"

Gather a group of parents with young children together and chances are that within a short period of time, someone will confess that adjusting to the birth of a child can be a challenge. Becoming a parent, either through the act of giving birth, or adoption, can leave even the most accomplished grownup feeling overwhelmed, isolated and desperately tired. Childbirth courses prepare us for the act of giving birth, but most of us need a little help with the next 18 years. For the last 25 years, Open Door Parent Child Caring Center has been providing information and support to parents and young children in the Great Neck community. The "Beginning Together" program is designed to provide new parents with infants ages 2 to 10 months with professional guidance, support and companionship during this critical time of adjustment. Registration is now under way for the spring session, which will begin on March 1. The group will meet for six sessions, once a week, for one hour.

Given that raising a child is the single most important job anyone of us will ever have, "Beginning Together" can provide new parents with the perfect introduction to this new chapter in their lives. It can be very comforting to know that for an hour each week, questions and concerns, even the ones that seem too embarrassing to utter ("Does anyone else find they do not have the time to shower before 3 p.m.?"), will be addressed in a non-judgmental atmosphere, in the company of others who are struggling with the same exact things, under the supervision of an experienced parent educator. Parents will also learn effective and positive ways to stimulate their infants.

In addition to "Beginning Together," Open Door offers a variety of groups for parents and children under the age of 4. We offer a one-day program for children under 2, a two-day program for 2-year-olds and a three-day program for 3-year-olds. While the children participate in our highly regarded early childhood program, parents meet weekly in a parenting group led by a professional group leader.

Open Door embraces the concept of gentle separation, which honors the parent-child bond and allows a child to move away from the loving arms of their parents in a gradual and mutually agreed-upon way. We work with a child's temperament, not against it, and acknowledge and support the uniqueness of the parent-child relationship.

Our goal is to inform, enrich and empower parents so that they can enjoy their children. We are a nonprofit organization, open to all families regardless of religion, ethnicity, or financial status. For more information, contact us at 487-3313, or visit us at our website, Opendoorcenter.net.