As parents, my wife and I have one thing in common. We're both afraid of children.

Cosby’s line is a comic reversal of the usual parental posture of authority. By claiming that both parents are “afraid of children,” he highlights how unpredictable, relentless, and emotionally disarming kids can be—especially within the intimate setting of family life. The humor comes from exaggeration, but it also gestures at a truth many parents recognize: children can upend routines, expose adult insecurities, and force parents to improvise rather than control. The quote fits a tradition of observational comedy that treats parenting as a humbling experience, where the supposed leaders of the household often feel outmatched by the energy and will of their children.