Im gonna have to disagree in part to the "women" part. Having been the older sister that babysat constantly, the older cousin that babysat constantly, the oldest grandchild that helped the grandparents AND great grandparents constantly, it did nothing to increase my patience once I became a mother. In fact, by the time I got to my own children I had far less patience than I would have had I just been allowed to grow and learn as a child and not a little adult because I was tired of being in charge of everyone else's everything.