Jessica Alba learns from her children

Jessica Alba's children help her to "have compassion and empathy".

The 38-year-old actress is mother to Honor, 11, Haven, eight, and Hayes, 20 months, and says that having her children has helped to make her a better person, because she can now understand people who are "operating very differently" to the way she operates.

She said: "It's nice for me because then it forces me to, like, open my heart and have compassion and empathy for people who are operating in the world very differently to me."

Recently, the 'LA's Finest' star took to Instagram to share a video of herself cleaning up after her son pooped in the bathtub, and has now explained that she managed to recruit her daughters to help out by telling them how "gross" they used to be when they were their brother's age.

Speaking to Kelly Clarkson on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show', Jessica added: "What I said to the girls was like, 'Not only did you poo on me and barf on me several times throughout your babyhood' - because my kids get motion sickness; so every car ride, every train ride, every plane, every single one, it's coming out - 'and whilst in the bathtub with me.' That's fun too. So, I'm like, 'You guys need to help me clean this up.' And they're like, 'Gross mom!' "

Meanwhile, Jessica previously described motherhood as her "hardest job of all", and said being a parent gave her the skills she needed to set up her own business, The Honest Company.

She said: "It was the hardest job of all, but the one that prepared me most for a career in business.

"You learn to multitask and always be prepared.

"Early on, I made the mistake of not having diapers when we were out to dinner and ended up with a swaddle blanket around my kid instead.

"You learn to be creative, resilient and always prepared."

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