'Tis the Daddying Season
- Allan Shedlin
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
By Allan Shedlin & Scott Beller
Daddying blog Editorial Staff
By any measure, 2025 has been one hell of a year. And as it nears its end, many writers and organizations have announced their "best" and "worst" lists. So, after publishing musings by our editorial staff and guest writers over the past 51 weeks, we thought we'd join the fun by sharing some of our Daddying highlights.
But first, we must address a few things or, rather, words. There are a few terms that would top our list of words we just don’t want to hear anymore – ever! With a hat tip to the late filmmaking icon Rob Reiner, they are:
unprecedented
breaking news
redacted
crypto
ICE
vaccine skeptic
measles
pertussis
Allan says, "Just give me Dictionary.com's word of the year "six-seven."
With the winter solstice being the time when we live in equal light and darkness, we're taking the opportunity to look back at the Daddying blogs we've posted this past year that hold particular significance for us. Here are 10 posts Allan is eager to have you revisit – a "best of" list that ends with his most recent commentary that looks ahead, as our days are literally and figuratively filled with more light:
And here are a few more Scott would like to highlight:
We hope you'll treat yourself to FREE passes for unlimited screening of 60+ Daddying films during our 5th Annual virtual Daddying Film Festival, coming January 9-15. We'd also love to meet you, in person, at our LIVE Daddying Film Forum at American University in Washington, DC, January 30-31! Free passes to all our D3F 2026 events are available now on Eventive.
Until then, we wish you and your family a Happy, Healthy Holiday season and a Merry Six-Seven – Daddy on!
D3F 2026 Call for Entries AND Official Selection announcements continue...
YOUR film/video could be next!
Allan Shedlin has devoted his life's work to improving the odds for children and families. He has three daughters, five grandchildren, 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. 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.
Scott Beller is the proud, imperfect crew Dad of two teen, mighty girls, imperfect partner of their rock-star mom/regatta chaperone, a truth teller, purveyor of banned books, former youth soccer and basketball championship coach, retired part-time driving instructor, late-night filmgoer, Editor of the Daddying blog, and Director of Communications for DCG and the Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F). He's a seasoned writer and PR agency veteran with more than 35 years of experience helping organizations of all sizes and individuals reach audiences and tell their stories. Prior to launching his own creative communications consultancy in 2003, he led PR teams with some of the world’s most respected agencies, including The Weber Group and Fleishman-Hillard. As a consultant, he’s helped launch two other parenting advocacy nonprofits with DCG founder Allan Shedlin, REEL Fathers and Dads Unlimited. His first book, Beggars or Angels, was a ghostwritten memoir for the nonprofit Devotion to Children's founder Rosemary Tran Lauer. He is formerly known as "Imperfect Dad" and Head Writer/Editor for the Raising Nerd blog, which supports parents in inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and creative problem solvers. He earned his BA in Communications from VA Tech so many years ago. You can follow him and his frequently salty language on Instagram and BlueSky.
