I once heard a wise old owl tell me that any good relationship is based on the ability to laugh at each other, together and separately.

“You know, many husbands and wives will go through tough times, but you will always know that you can work anything out if you can still laugh. Once the laughter is gone, the love might soon follow.”

So what do sports dad really need from their partner? Laughter.

I always get a kick out of seeing my wife laugh, and I there is nothing better than seeing her smile. It is one of the best ways to break tension, and show mutual appeal. When a sports dad takes the time to share a story with his wife, it means he honestly wants to share a moment.

Most Sports dads aren’t as good as the Chris Rock’s and Adam Sandler’s of the world, so please be patient with our clumsy deliveries and lack of a punch line. Wives, when you hear a story where the effort is being put forth to connect with you, show your husband a smile. The sports daddy’s really do like seeing their wives looking happy in general.

This doesn’t mean going around with a fake grin and condescending courtesy laugh. Pretending everything is fine when it isn’t, is not being true, but even in tough times, it is important to keep that sense of humor. There is always hope if you can “table” any negative issues (even temporarily) to share a laugh or two with your spouse.

The same old wise owl also told me many years ago, “When She’s happy, you’re happy.”

So smile and laugh damnit!