I was certainly a lot more patient and relaxed before I had children. It helps to understand that my children do not throw tantrums because I am impatient and stressed, but that I become more stressed when they scream. But they have also taught me that empathising with their outbursts and validating their feelings, however irrational they may seem, is the best way to defuse such tantrums. Ultimately, we are all learning from each other. Accepting this, and responding to their needs, makes life flow more smoothly – even if it means having that extra cup of coffee after another night of broken sleep.