Raising dads: Sentara offers classes to instill confidence in new dads

A wave of emotion washed over Detwon Wallace as he held his baby boy, Tru, for the first time.

“It felt like a new beginning, like everything else in the past didn’t matter anymore,” said Wallace.

Another new beginning would happen for Wallace when he went to get a snack from the hospital vending machine. 

“I was walking down the hall and saw a banner that said New Dad 101. It caught my attention right away because I’m a first-time dad so I knew it could help me.”

In 2024, Sentara partnered with Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia to offer New Dad 101 classes to new fathers.  

The free, three-hour virtual class offers a safe space for men to ask honest questions. It covers topics like changing diapers, buying a car seat, what to do at the hospital and at home, and how to balance relationships and work. It also offers tips and tricks that make fatherhood a little smoother. 

“Oftentimes dad is the only one with mom, so we teach them what the signs of postpartum depression look like,” said Chris Beach, chief executive officer of Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia.

“We also teach them about shaken baby syndrome. It’s important for dads to know how easily something like that can happen and what steps to take to avoid it.”

Breaking the cycle

Beach founded New Dad 101 to improve fatherhood in the state of Virginia and ultimately the nation.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 17.6 million children, nearly 1 in 4, live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home.

Research shows that a father's absence affects children in numerous ways, including higher rates of poverty, mental health issues, and behavioral problems.

Jamal Thomas teaches a virtual New Dad 101 class at the Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia headquarters in Richmond, Virginia.

“The truth hurts, but let's see if we can establish a new and better truth,” said Jamal Thomas, board chair of Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia. “Many dads come from broken homes and have no idea how to be a dad, so we help them break that cycle.”

Wallace himself didn’t have a close relationship with his father until later in life when he decided to reach out and strengthen that connection. 

“The father role is very important. You need that structure, and that child also needs to know where he comes from,” said Wallace. 

New Dad 101 also teaches that one of the most important relationships a father can have is the one with mom. 

According to Psychology Today, if a child sees a healthy relationship between mom and dad, they have a higher likelihood of developing an easy-going temperament and are likely to mirror that same healthy relationship if they become a parent. 

“Since the baby has been here, we fell back in love,” said Wallace, referring to his wife, who he’s been married to for five years. 

“I thought once the baby was born, she would recover, but now I know she needs time. And I know the importance of offering help so she can get the rest she needs.”

New and expectant fathers across Virginia find community in the New Dad 101 class.

New Dad 101 banners currently stand in all ten family maternity centers across Sentara. To help reach a wider demographic, they have also been put up in Sentara community care centers and Sentara Health Plans is offering the class to its Medicaid members.  

Although Wallace took the class after his baby was born, Beach recommends you join about 2-3 months before your baby is born. 

“I’m excited for the vacations as Tru gets older, and to be able to teach him a business mindset so he can have financial freedom,” said Wallace. 

“I didn’t name him ‘Detwon Jr.’ because I don’t want him to be like me. I want him to be better than me and start his own legacy.”

You can learn more about upcoming New Dad 101 classes at Sentara.com.