Robert De Niro Welcomes Seventh Child at 79; Here’s Why Age Shouldn’t Be an Issue

At the age of 79, legendary Hollywood actor Robert De Niro announced the birth to his seventh child, according to an exclusive interview with ET Canada. De Niro spoke on fatherhood during the interview while promoting his next movie, “About My Father.” The 79-year-old expressed his views on parenting and said that, although he dislikes having to correct his children, it is occasionally essential.

His first wife, Diahnne Abbott, is the mother of his son Raphael, 46, and daughter Drena, 51. Along with his former partner, model and actress Toukie Smith, he welcomed twin boys Julian and Aaron, now 27 years old, in 1995. With his ex-wife Grace Hightower, De Niro also shares a daughter Helen Grace, 11, and a son Elliot, 24.

The news of De Niro’s seventh child comes as a surprise to many, given his age. However, people are becoming parents at ever-increasing ages, a trend that can have implications for the health of the pregnancy, the babies and the women who birth them.

What the research has to say about having kids later in life

1. It’s important to remember that men do have biological clocks, and their fertility levels start to decline beyond age 50. A new study from London found that if the father is over 50 years old, there is a 33 percent decreased chance of a live birth. According to the study’s authors, the idea that “male fertility lasts for ever” has been reinforced by stories about famous people having children far into their 60s. In their study, they make the case that men shouldn’t put off becoming fathers for too long, noting that “paternal age over 50 significantly affects the chance of achieving a live birth following assisted reproductive technology.” Men should not put off becoming fathers, according to a public health message.
2. Despite this, a another study from London that was released in 2017 claims that having children later in life has benefits. Boys with older fathers tend to be geekier, which means they exhibit more intelligence and are less self-conscious, according to research from Kings College London. The conclusion was particularly relevant to guys studying STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The researchers’ findings could have a socioeconomic explanation, such as older dads having greater socioeconomic position, which allows their boys to grow up in a more enriched environment with better schooling.
3. If you’re worried that older people won’t be physically able to keep up with kids, scientists suggest that advances in biological ageing are actually enabling adults to do more than senior people in previous generations.
4. Age brings wisdom and maturity, as well as chances for dads to provide for their kids in significant ways they would not have been able to early on. Although the risks for unusual genetic abnormalities or social development delays may be greater, these opportunities exist despite the hazards.
5. Older males may also have more life experience, wisdom, and emotional maturity, which may help them parent better, communicate better, and form stronger emotional relationships with their kids. These connections are essential for developing a psychologically robust youngster who will ultimately be prepared for a successful life full of vibrant relationships.

Regarding De Niro, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that he is a new father and is filming another movie as he gets older. In a 2015 interview with Marvin Shanken, editor and publisher of Cigar Aficionado, De Niro stated that despite being in his early 70s, he didn’t consider himself to be old and that he had no plans to stop acting.

Shanken also inquired about the one thing on his bucket list that he hasn’t yet accomplished. His response demonstrates how much he cherishes his greatest role in life—that of father. He gave Shanken a firm knock on the table and said, “I want to live as long as I can for my kids.”