No business as usual for the typical American dad. He’s a new man, compared to his predecessors.

For most of the last 50 years, Dad’s priority was work; his main family function — at least to his way of thinking — was bringing home the bacon. Everything else was Mom’s job. Dad loomed distant, a giant figure in children’s minds, but more mystery than daily presence.

Women went to work, and things changed. Today Dad is more focused on grabbing that bacon at the store and frying it up for Johnny, or rushing Jane to soccer practice. Dads have become more involved. That may have been initially driven by the necessity of two-parent incomes in the majority of American households, but for many dads it evolved into parenting passion.

A 2014 TODAY survey examined fatherhood in 2,000 families, finding three-quarters of dads say parenting is their most important role and relish being closer to their children. While 54 percent routinely changed diapers, only a third said their fathers ever did the same. Less than half said providing income was their main role, as most shared the responsibility with wives or partners; and 51 percent said they’d be a stay-at-home dad if they could. Thirty percent do most of the grocery shopping, and 26 percent regularly prepare weeknight meals.

What about the important stuff — playtime, morality and discipline, and bedtime stories? Moms and Dads agreed the workload is shared.

Pew Research spanning 45 years and released in November 2015 examined the family-work balance. In nearly half of two-parent income households, both parents now work full time (compared to a third in 1970); in 26 percent of homes mom doesn’t work at all (46 percent in 1970); in 8 percent, dad doesn’t. Parenting, quality time, and chores are shared equally in 59 to 64 percent of two-income households, with two categorical exceptions: half to two-thirds of moms have primary sick kid duty (including leaving work), and are the ones who manage kids’ activities.

In its “2016 Best and Worst States for Working Dads” released for Father’s Day, WalletHub analyzed dads’ work-life balance, health conditions, financial well-being, and child-rearing environments. Their 20 key metrics ranged from day care quality and costs to number of uninsured, poverty rates, and male life expectancy. Idaho didn’t do well, ranking 45 of 51. Most of the top 10 are in the eastern U.S., although Utah (12) and Washington (21) made the top quarter.

No family fits a mold and numbers never tell the full story, but in honor of Father’s Day, hats off to the modern, family-oriented dad.

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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network and so lucky to be married to one of the world’s best fathers. Thanks for all you do every day, Papi.