On November 6, two groups of parents were very excited to start First Steps and First Letters programs in Dublin. The courses, aimed at helping parents with children under the age of 8 to develop their parenting skills, will take place simultaneously until they both finish in May. During the next few months, the parents taking part will have sessions in small and large groups in order to work on, in a very practical way, the child-rearing challenges of this particular stage: child care and stimulation, understanding the particular personality of each child, and the importance of play and environment.