If you’re a new mom or dad bent on “being the best parent since Claire Huxtable,” NBC’s new comedy “Up All Night,” starring Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph, offers these tips.

• Talk to your folks — “Oh god, she just made the same ‘I-hate-my-mom’ noise that I just made. Oh god, am I teaching her to hate her mom?” Becoming a parent can put a whole new spin on your relationship with your own parents. While you can’t force a connection that isn’t there, they really may be able to help.

• Make sure your car is practical - If, like Reagan, you feel conflicted about letting go of your sports car in exchange for a Mom-mobile, just remember that “even the Beastie Boys have kids now.” Maybe instead of a minivan you can find something more like “…what Mike D would drive his kids to soccer in.”

• Be flexible - “The plan is the only thing that is keeping me from complete chaos right now. Honey, our lives are changing forever. Do you understand that?” Nothing about Amy’s birth went the way Chris and Reagan thought it would and that’s just the beginning of their journey as parents. Plan while you can, but you can’t prepare for everything. Sometimes you’ll have to play it by ear.

• Make time for play time - This goes for all of you. “I don’t feel ready [to leave our daughter overnight] either, but if we wait until we’re ready, the child is gonna be in college. And you know what? Let’s face it, you’re probably gonna be dead.” It won’t be easy carving out quality time to spend as a family, as a couple, and on your own, but you’ll need all three to manage the stress. Otherwise, you may manage to convince yourself “that your eight-month-old daughter called you a jerk.”

• Get into it - “What does this smell like?” “Waxy cinnamon?” “Christmas! It smells like Christmas.” As a general rule, children like holidays more than adults do. Lights, presents, candy, these things mean a lot to a kid. The holidays are a chance to get into the spirit and make magical memories with your child, whether that be by honoring the family traditions you grew up with or by starting new ones.

“Up All Night” is now its first season on NBC. Watch it Thursdays at 9:30/8:30 Central or catch up with the latest episodes online at Hulu.

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