In an event hosted by the Jaguars, dads and guardians gathered with their children, where even the Jaguars' Head Coach, Doug Pederson, imparted wisdom on the significance of parental presence.
"A lot of my lessons learned as a parent, I learned from my dad growing up," said Pederson.
Pederson, drawing from personal experience, emphasized the influence of his own father in shaping his parenting approach.
He stressed the importance of being not just a leader, but a present figure in a child's life, preparing them for adulthood by actively participating in their upbringing.
"As dads, we need to be present in our children's lives. We have to be there, we have to show up, we have to pay attention and be part of their childhood," Pederson emphasized. "Those are the things that are going to mean a lot when they become parents themselves."
With Pederson's three grown children serving as a testament, he underscored the singular message for fathers to be actively engaged in their children's lives, as such investment would resonate profoundly in their future roles as parents.
Pederson has three kids and they're all grown up. He said there's only one important message he has for other dads.
Approximately 400 families attended the All Pro Dad Experience, among them Erik Dellenback, a father of five, who cherished the opportunity to spend quality time with his youngest daughters amidst the challenges of a large family.
"I've got 19 all the way down to 4," said Dellenback, "When you have a bunch of kids, it's hard to have private time and individual time, so it's a blessing in that way too."
Dellenback highlighted the rarity of private and individual time amidst a bustling household, expressing gratitude for the chance to create lasting memories with his children.
"I've never met anyone who said they're less busy. If we don't make time for intentional things, time just passes by and it's amazing. This one said to me earlier, 'dad, this is just like the daddy daughter dance' and all she means by that is it's time of being together and with her," he added.
He emphasized the importance of intentional bonding moments, recalling his daughter's comparison of the event to a daddy-daughter dance, symbolizing the significance of shared time together.