Oh, brace yourselves for a groundbreaking revelation: fathers of children with complex care needs (CCN) are actually involved in their kids’ lives! Who would’ve thought, right? In a stunning display of the obvious, this paper sheds light on the herculean efforts of dads who are—wait for it—striving to be there for their children. Shocking, I know.

In a masterful stroke of research innovation, the study employs ethnography and arts-based methodologies (because nothing says “I’m a serious researcher” like ecomaps and photovoice). They even managed to round up twenty-nine whole fathers (all of whom are in relationships, because single dads are apparently unicorns) aged 28 to 55 to talk about their experiences. And, as if by magic, they discovered that these dads do things like contribute to the parental team, adapt to build accessibility, engage in activities with their child, express admiration and pride, and—get this—find meaning in their experiences.

The recommendations are equally earth-shattering: parents should make connections and ask for help (mind-blowing, right?), while service providers should actually communicate and listen to families (revolutionary!). And policymakers, those wild and crazy guys, should prioritize leadership and funding for programs (because who would’ve thought funding was important?).

But wait, there’s more! The study also uncovers the need for complex care teams in the adult health care system and the importance of psychosocial support for these families. And, in a cliffhanger ending, they tease us with knowledge gaps about diversity and intersectionality in fathering children with CCN. Stay tuned for the sequel, folks. It’s bound to be a riveting tale of dads doing dad things.