Savoring the Privilege of Lifelong Daddying
By Allan Shedlin
Grampsy and Founder, Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F)
My three daughters all are eligible to join AARP, and I’m still savoring the privilege of being their Dad.
During the intensity of their early years, I mistakenly thought that once they went off to college my daddying would be complete. Happily, I was wrong. And I was wrong again when I imagined the same thing when they each got married. Clearly, being a slow learner, I imagined the same when two of them became parents themselves.
If we are truly fortunate, we have the opportunity to parent throughout the lifespan. Each stage provides different opportunities and challenges; each stage takes on a different flavor and can be delicious in its own way. The proverbial cherry on the top is observing your "children" parenting and allowing them to create their own style and to learn by doing, just as you did.
And as I await the birth of my first great grandchild in five months, I’ll have another opportunity to discover an additional phase of lifelong daddying. And I can’t wait to compare grandparenting notes with my daughter and son-in-law. I am adjusting much easier to the idea of becoming a great granddad than I am to imagining my daughter as a grandmother!
And of course, there is an occasional opportunity for "payback time;" like recently breaking the family record of asking "are we there yet?" during a seven-and-a-half-hour drive with one of my daughters and her family.
In an earlier piece I exalted in reaching the pinnacle of daddying, when nurturing my children is nourishing to me – I wish the same for every parent.
Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F)
The Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F) 2027 Call for Entries is rolling through the summer on FilmFreeway! Submissions will be accepted through November 23rd, so, plenty of time to create your films or videos demonstrating the importance of having or being an involved Dad/dad figure, including Instagram Reels, Tiktoks, music and dance videos!
Since 2022, we've received submissions from 60+ countries and we're excited to present another amazing collection of the best daddying stories told by students (3rd grade-undergrad), Dads/Granddads, Moms/Grandmoms, dad figures, parenting podcasters, and indie filmmakers from around the world! Check the D3F website or our FilmFreeway page for more inspiration, submission details, and Atticus Award winning 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, finalists & more Jan 29-30, 2027.
Allan Shedlin has devoted his life's work to improving the odds for children and families. He has three daughters, five grandchildren, a great grandchild on the way, and numerous "bonus" sons, daughters, and grandchildren. Trained as an educator, Allan has alternated between classroom service, school leadership, parenting coaching, policy development, and advising at the local, state, and national levels. After eight years as an elementary school principal, Allan founded and headed the National Elementary School Center. He has written about education and parenting for major news outlets and trade publications, as well as appearing on radio and TV. In 2008, he was the first male honored as a "Living Treasure" by Mothering Magazine and founded REEL Fathers. In 2010, he advised the Obama White House on Dad engagement and fatherhood policy. In 2017, he founded the DADvocacy Consulting Group. In 2018, he launched the DADDY Wishes Fund and Daddy Appleseed Fund. In 2019, he co-created and co-facilitated the Armor Down/Daddy Up! and Mommy Up! programs for veterans and their children. He has conducted daddying workshops with Native American pueblos, veterans’ groups, penitentiaries, Head Start centers, corporate boardrooms, and elementary schools. In 2022, Allan founded and directed the Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F). In 2024, he was named to Who’s Who. In 2025, Allan was honored with an "Official Citation" from the Maryland State General Assembly "In Recognition for All You Do for Dads, Granddads, and Kids of All Ages." He also was named 2025 “Father of the Year” by the Fathers & Families Coalition of America. In 2026, he was honored with the Dr. Charles Augustus Ballard Pioneer Award and induction into the International Father and Family Practitioner's Network Spirit of Fatherhood Hall of Fame. Allan earned his elementary and high school diplomas from NYC’s Ethical Culture Schools, BA at Colgate University, MA at Columbia University’s Teachers College, and an ABD at Fordham University. He considers his D-A-D and GRAND D-A-D the most important “degrees” of all.
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