Humble

I've decided having kids keeps you humble and teaches you to laugh at yourself. There are times when it feels like the only options are to laugh, cry, or go insane. Laughing is by far the best option. As for being humbling, think about it. Generally you become a parent by giving birth with a room full of people watching you. There's no way to do it modestly and at that point, you don't really care who sees what parts of you. But it's humbling, baring yourself and being that vulnerable in front of a room full of people.
From there, your schedule is more or less determined by this tiny person. Although you're the parent, you're the adult, it's clear that the baby is the one running the show. You feed them on command, you clean their butt, you snap awake (or some state of semi-consciousness) when they cry. This is humbling.
The way your kids humble you changes over time. As they grow, it could be a tantrum in the middle of the store that is humbling. Or the way your child mimics your worst qualities. Or the truth that they state loudly, not having learned tact yet.
This morning Mia and I were having a serious discussion about potty training. Mia's not quite 3 and has the attention span to match. I suddenly realized she was focusing on my forehead. As I continued talking, she stared, mesmerized, and raised her little hand and pointer finger. Wondering what she was doing, she suddenly poked the zit between my eyebrows. And then poked again. Thanks, kid. I'm trying to have a serious talk with you and you poke my holdover from adolescence. At least it was comical. ;) I tell you, having kids keeps you humble.