밑줄친 곳 어떻게 해석해야 하나요? 흐름상 앞 뒤 문장 첨가합니다.

one of these women spoiled me, another had very little patience for me, another was permissive, and another was matter-offactly stern, yet loving. i had no problem whatsoever with this “inconsistency.” in no time at all, i figured out what each one of them would and would not tolerate, what i could and could not put over on them, and i adjusted my behavior accordingly. children are, after all, intuitively brilliant, and i was by no means exceptional in that regard.