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These A-listers give us the scoop on what it's really like to be a parent

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'Artists raise their kids differently,' says Angelina Jolie, mother of six. 'We communicate to the point where we probably annoy our children. We have art around the house, we have books, we go to plays, we talk. Our focus is art and painting and dress-up and singing. It’s what we love. So I think you can see how artists in some way raise other artists.' (Vanity Fair)Thibault Camus/The Associated Press

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'When you have children, you get to see things all over again,' says Halle Berry, mother of Nahla. 'So I've never laughed as hard, I've never done more silly things. And I go to great lengths to make my daughter laugh.' (Contactmusic.com)LUCY NICHOLSON/Reuters

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'Violet is the most beautiful thing,' says Jennifer Garner, mother of Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel. 'Just that she exists and I get to hang out with her. I think that I can read her mind because I'm with her all the time. Then she'll do something off the wall and surprising. There's no one who is more fun.' (Just Jared)John Shearer/The Associated Press

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'Every morning when I wake her up, the end game is, Can I get her to smile?,' says Drew Barrymore, mother of baby, Olive. 'And that puts me in a good mood. It's definitely a different way to live — and a much better one.' (Good Housekeeping)Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press

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'I think every working mom probably feels the same thing: You go through big chunks of time where you're just thinking, This is impossible — oh, this is impossible,' says Tina Fey, mother of Alice and Penelope. 'And then you just keep going and keep going, and you sort of do the impossible.' (Good Housekeeping)Matt Sayles/The Associated Press

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'The ultimate satisfaction for me is being with my son,' Megan Fox, mother of Noah, says. 'All I wanted to do my whole, whole life was to have a baby and, now, I've finally done it.' (Marie Claire)FRED PROUSER/Reuters

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'It is the most powerful creation to have life growing inside of you,' says, Beyoncé, mother of Blue Ivy. 'There is no bigger gift.' (Associated Press)LUCAS JACKSON/Reuters

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'I'll probably be a little bit hippie and a little bit Type A,' says Christina Applegate mother of Sadie Grace. 'I'll take from what my mother did, which was way hippie and like, Do what you wanna do, and bring some things that I know from watching my friends raise their kids. An amalgamation of sorts.' (People)Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press

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'When you first have a baby your life doesn't change,' says Gwen Stefani, mother of Kingston and Zuma. 'I mean, you have a little less sleep and you drag these cuddly things around you and it's just amazing. But you still get to be you. Once they get to, like, five, six and school and it starts to, get, like, Wow, they got real problems. They're my responsibility. Oh my God. That is overwhelming.' (Music-News)JEFF CHRISTENSEN/The Associated Press

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'I've learned so much from being a mom about the kind of person I want to be, the kind of woman I want to be,' said, Gwenyth Paltrow, mother of Apple and Moses. 'Motherhood has taught me mindfulness. If you just parent on instinct, you'll screw your kid up for life. You have to be so mindful.' (Good Housekeeping)LUCAS JACKSON/Reuters

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'Working in Hollywood is more of a diversion for me now,' says Reese Witherspoon, mother of Ava, Deacon and Tennessee James. 'I still love acting, but my full-time job is being a mother. I like being home when they wake up, make their breakfast, take them to school, help them with their homework, and enjoying dinner, and putting them to bed. That’s my real job!' (Yahoo)LUCY NICHOLSON/Reuters

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'Children orientate towards examples,' says Kate Winslet, mother of Mia and Joe. 'That's why I talk solely positive about my body in front of my daughter. I say things like Hey, look at my strong arms! Or I shake my butt and say Look at my fabulous butt! I do that deliberately.' (Brigitte)Alastair Grant/The Associated Press

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