Humor has this amazing ability to diffuse tense situations — especially within families. But one must be certain that the target of this humor is a safe one. More often than not, the safest target for a humorous dig is yourself.

There’s tremendous value in having a sense of humor about your own parenting. Being able to laugh at yourself doesn’t make you seem foolish; it makes you seem real. Your children will learn more from you than you ever thought possible when you show them firsthand how to roll with the punches and pick yourself up without beating yourself down.

Believe it or not, your parenting efforts will be much more fun (and productive) if you can learn to take the role of humor in the life of a family a little more seriously.