Al Pacino to Become a Dad Again at Age 83—But Is That Fair to His Child?

While men don't have to worry too much about a ticking biological clock, having a baby this late in life almost guarantees the child won't ever really get to know their dad.

Just weeks after Robert De Niro dropped a bombshell that he recently became a father again at the age of 79—another aging Hollywood legend comes out with some news of his own. 83-year-old Al Pacino is expecting a baby with his 29-year-old girlfriend Noor Alfallah.

The two aging dads are friends and have starred in several movies together. This is a new adventure though, parenting into their octogenarian years. De Niro even recently joked to a media outlet about playdates for their youngest children.

Pacino already has three other grown children. He shares his oldest daughter, 33-year-old Julie Marie with ex-girlfriend Jan Tarrant. Pacino is also a father to 22-year-old twins Anton and Olivia with Beverly D'Angelo.

His friend and co-star, De Niro already has six children from previous marriages and relationships. De Niro shares children Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46, with first wife Diahnne Abbott, has twin sons Aaron and Julian, 27, with his ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith, and has Elliot, 25, and Helen, 11, with ex-wife Grace Hightower. De Niro shares baby number seven, Gia Virginia Chen De Niro, with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen.

No need for any fast math here—there's a 51-year gap between De Niro's oldest and youngest child. Oh, and he's also a grandfather.

Now, I never want to judge anyone for the age they begin their parenting journey. I'm well aware that so many factors are involved—especially for those who identify as female. I was 36 when I got pregnant with my daughter (and 37 when she was born). Therefore, my pregnancy was considered GERIATRIC (which made me cry every time I saw that label bolded at the top of my chart). I'm now 45, and my daughter is 8 and about to finish up the second grade.

But I have many friends—my exact same age and some who are younger—with kids in college. I even have a childhood friend who is already a grandma. I'm constantly figuring out in my head how old I'll be when my daughter hits different milestones—and if I'll be too old to enjoy them with her.

Will I be a cool 50-year-old when she has her bat mitzvah? Will I be the oldest mom at her high school graduation? Will everyone think I'm her grandma if I take her to a bar to celebrate her 21st birthday? Which then makes me wonder what will happen if my daughter waits to have kids in her late 30s too? Like De Niro, I'll be in my 70s! (Not quite Pacino's age though!)

Related: 7 Benefits of Having a Child Later in Life

I feel bad that neither Al Pacino nor Robert De Niro's new babies will have a dad to run around the playground with or teach them to drive. As for prom, graduation, and any other big events over the next 20 years? I'm sure they are both healthy, but they're not Benjamin Button—it's just a fact that they're older and at an age where slowing down mentally and physically is inevitable.

Take my husband's grandfather, who is 100 years young (his words). While he miraculously has no acute medical issues, he does live in an assisted living facility, has a hard time recognizing immediate family, and is not steady on his feet—leading to falls that have landed him in the hospital. While he still can crack a joke right on cue, he's not exactly in a state to change diapers, deal with sleepless nights, or run after a grandkid.

My own dad is 73 and his greatest joy in life is being a grandfather. He was a very present and attentive dad to me, my brother, and my sister. But he's really next level as a grandfather. He plays Barbies with my daughter and, even when his back is hurting or his knees aching, he's always ready to play with my rambunctious nephews. He's never missed my daughter's birthday or recital—and we live in different states!

Still, my dad will also jokingly make comments that break my heart about just wanting to make it to my daughter's bat mitzvah. I get upset and tell my dad to stop talking like that and that I expect to see him at my daughter's high school and even college graduation. But I know he's getting older, it's just a fact of life. I expect my dad to dance the hora at my daughter's bat mitzvah, even though he'll be 78 then—just a year younger than De Niro!

I get that both Pacino and De Niro are privileged. They have the money to provide for all their kids now and in the future. They can also afford lots of help for a newborn. I wouldn't expect them to actually change a diaper or do late-night feedings—because let's be real, not sure they've done that for any of their kids.

But is it fair that child number seven for De Niro and number four for Pacino may never really get to know their dads? The bright side is that at least these new babies have older brothers and sisters who can hopefully provide strong family support. Or at the very least, keep their dads' legacies alive with regular showings of Meet the Parents! (Or their not-so-family-friendly films together like The Godfather Part II and Heat).

Related: Giving Birth Later on May Mean You Live Longer, Says Study

For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Parents.