One of the most important events in many peoples lives is the day that they become a parent. It can be a joyful experience, but it also be very challenging, especially for Sailors. According to www.defense.gov, as of 2014 there were 471,834 children under the age of 5 years that had a a parent that was active duty in the military. Quartermaster 2nd Class Tyler Vandagrifft became one of those parents on July 26, 2017 when his daughter, Nora Grace Vandagrifft, was born. Vandagrifft is learning to navigate the waters of being a new parent while in the U.S. Navy. "Being a new parent is an unexplainable event in one's life," said Vandagrifft. "You are so overwhelmed with so many feelings, feelings of just happiness and joy. It is just 100 percent pure love and it's so hard to explain because it's absolutely amazing. By far the best thing that has ever happened to me." Being a new dad has been a unique experience for Vandagrifft. He said it's opened him up to many new experiences. "My favorite part of being dad so far has been buying dresses for her," said Vandagrifft. "My wife gets so mad and tells me that she needs to wear other clothes besides dresses, but I don't think so. They're just so darn cute!" Because of the demanding work requirements of Sailors, Vandagrifft loses some quality time at home with his daughter. "I would say for me, the biggest challenge would be at times feeling left out in a sense," said Vandagrifft. "You know, mom is at home all day everyday with the baby, feeding her, changing her diaper, and rocking her to sleep." Navy parents can miss time with their baby when they have to stand duty on the ship or if they're sent on a deployment. "You come home and they have their routine," said Vandagrifft. "Mom has it down packed and knows her inside and out but you're still trying to figure it out cause you're at work all day or standing duty so you're not at home with your baby as much as mom is." Though he may have struggled with the schedule at first, Vandagrifft eventually figured out his place in the routine. "You figure it out though and learn their routine and start putting yourself into their routine and feeding them a bottle, burping them, rocking them to sleep and changing diapers," said Vandagrifft. Vandagrifft has a unique challenge facing him when it comes to raising a daughter. "The biggest challenges I foresee in the future is just trying to figure out how to have a daughter," said Vandagrifft. "I grew up with all boys and even my closest cousins were boys for the most part." Aside from learning how to have a daughter, Vandagrifft has work to do in just learning to be a father since Nora is his first child. "Just being a great parent, friend, and mentor in general will be a huge challenge," said Vandagrifft. "Learning not to be too suffocating of a parent and too strict but just the right amount." Vandagrifft has advice for those who are about to start their journey as new parents. "I would say to them, have no expectations," said Vandagrifft. "Just go with it and do what feels right to you. You'll figure it out as you go." According to www.cnic.navy.mil, becoming a new parent is a time of excitement and anxiety. To help with the anxiety, Fleet and Family Support Center offers the New Parent Support Home Visitation Program (NPSHVP) free to active duty military personnel with children under the age of four. NPSHVP offers a variety of services including prenatal health and nutrition consultation, early child development education and even home visitation services. As he's learning how to raise his daughter, Vandagrifft makes it a point to stop and enjoy this time with her. "Don't blink," said Vandagrifft. "One minute they're a brand new baby and the next thing you know they're 7 weeks old. The time flies and you only get them like this once, so sit down, relax, take it in and for all it is worth and enjoy." Vandagrifft may just be starting his journey as a father, but he's looking forward to a lifetime of being Nora's dad. The Navy offers many support services and benefits for active-duty parents. From healthcare and on-base childcare to classes for new parents through the Fleet and Family Support Center. For information on support services offered to new parents on the Navy, visit the New Parent Support Program webpage on www.cnic.navy.mil.

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