They say it’s the little things in life that often bring the greatest joy. This is true of the hour I spend first thing each morning with three toddlers so their mothers, all fellow volunteers from the Family International with whom I live and work, can get on top of their day. I must admit, though, that this hasn’t always been the case.

It was a great plan in theory, but with all three still in diapers, one or the other of them usually had a smelly “surprise” for me upon arrival, while another would be a bucket of tears, crying over the fact that her mother was leaving her with me for a while. “Believe me,” I often found myself muttering, “I wish this wasn’t happening more than you do!”

In those early days of this venture, I would greet them with a cup of coffee in hand, and as soon as I could I would plop myself down in my beanbag chair and prepare to wait out the next hour. Of course that state of affairs usually came to an abrupt end when a toddler fight would break out with screams that could be heard within a five-mile radius. What was I supposed to do with the three of them for a whole hour?

After a few days of this, one morning one of them picked up a book from the floor, walked over, and sat herself down in my lap. “Book?” she said, looking at me with her big round eyes.

“Okay, why not?” As I began reading, the other two waddled over and sat down beside us.

As I read to them, I was surprised at how much they already knew. Each would point to something familiar on the page and identify it using their baby language, or try to imitate the sound of one of the animals.

We read book after book, and I discovered anew that toddlers are like sponges, absorbing everything. They were learning just by me reading to them, and I found myself enjoying it as well. I decided then to put my heart into my times with them and to come up with other activities to do together.

Now that hour with them is one of my favorite times of the day. Whatever it is we’re doing, without fail one of them will shout out “Den!” (“Again,” in their baby language) each time the activity ends, and they all break out in fits of laughter when I start it up again.

Being able to help them learn and discover new things and hearing them laugh in delight is far more rewarding than anything I expected in the beginning. There are still some smelly surprises and the occasional toddler tantrum, but I’ve learned that my times with them are what I make them, and they can be magical!

Stephanie Paone is a member of the Family International in Mexico.