Granddad's Favorite Way to Stay Active is On the Road with Family
Guest post by Rob Richardson
Associate Director, Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F)
Something about traveling with family builds trust in a unique way.
You’re sort of in a bubble – looking out on the world in a shared adventure. And if you’re lucky, you get a chance to learn more about each other and create memories that build on something that was already there or create something completely new. That’s what my recent vacation with my oldest daughter’s family felt like.
We touched down in London, and over eight days, we scrambled around castles, took boat rides, climbed impossible heights, and descended impossible depths. And we had a ball. The two teen grandkids and their parents were a joy to be with.
If you’re lucky, you get a chance to learn more about each other and create memories that build on something that was already there or create something completely new.
My daughter planned the trip, which involved something for every taste and plenty of "escape hatches" if one or more of us decided the plan didn’t fit at that moment. It was great to see her "in action," managing her family, and addressing needs on-the-fly. It was also satisfying to spend quality time with my son-in-law, while both of us explored new places.
It was a time of wonderful vignettes:
The sibling teens laughing and leaping on each other like two kittens
My daughter organizing activities for the day with humor and aplomb
Son-in-law asleep on the plane with his head on his daughter’s lap
Experiencing the beauty and awe of a lush green canyon with granddaughter
Grandkids showing me around a WWII-era house featured in a book they read.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the family’s adventure and fun. I was reminded that, in the best of ways, being a traveling grandparent is a real "gas."
Granddaddy on!
Submissions from 70 countries and counting!
Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F)
The Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F) 2027 Call for Entries keeps rolling through the fall on FilmFreeway! Students (3rd grade-undergrad), Dads, Granddads, Moms, Grandmoms, dad figures, Parenting Podcasters, Musicians, and indie filmmakers can submit films, videos, and podcast episodes through November 23, 2026!
Since 2022, we've received submissions from 70+ countries and we're excited to present another amazing collection of the best daddying stories submitted by students, Dads/dad figs, Moms, and indie filmmakers from around the world! Check the D3F website or our FilmFreeway page for submission details and to be inspired by Atticus Award-winning and finalist films from previous years!
SAVE THE DATES: The 6th annual, virtual Daddying Film Festival will take place on Eventive, January 11-20, 2027, and our LIVE Daddying Film Forum, at American University in Washington, DC, will screen select Atticus Award winners and finalists, January 29-30, 2027.
Rob Richardson is the proud father of three girls and “Papi” to three grandsons and two granddaughters. He is an Associate Director for the Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F) and DADvisor with DADvocacy Consulting Group. He is retired as an educator and business leader, with a career as head of non-profit, philanthropic, and educational programs and organizations. Currently, he serves as the “Buildings and Grounds Manager” (mows the lawn) for his daughters’ properties, teaches courses in American History at American University, and occasionally drives Lyft to earn a few bucks and keep him in touch with a variety of DC residents and visitors. Rob earned a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and a master’s from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently lives close to his family in Washington, DC.
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