Parents have been hailing one mum’s “genius” airport hack after she shared the straightforward method she uses to make travelling with young children considerably less stressful. While numerous mums and dads fear lengthy journeys with lively youngsters, one parent insists the key lies in giving kids a sense of responsibility throughout the travel day.
Offering her guidance in a TikTok video, the mum, known online as @emieclaire5, outlined how travelling transforms dramatically once children reach approximately five years of age. She said: “After travelling through the baby stage, the toddler stage and now the five-year-old stage, this is what I’ve noticed. They’re not just along for the ride anymore. They want to know what’s happening, when, and have a say.”
According to the mum, numerous travel tantrums occur because children feel they have “no control” over their surroundings.
Rather than simply instructing them to behave, she recommends assigning them minor “travel jobs” throughout the airport experience to help them feel included.
She explained: “The solution is simple. Give them a role, not an actual job. I’m not putting her on baggage handling, but tiny travel jobs.”
Suggestions might include assisting with carrying passports, identifying gate numbers, managing a small suitcase or verifying boarding passes.
The mum noted that children at this age naturally begin craving greater independence and responsibility, which explains why the technique proves so effective.
She added: “Developmentally, this is the age where they’re starting to want a bit of responsibility and a sense of where they fit into the plan. And a tiny job gives them something to own.”
While she acknowledged the approach won’t miraculously resolve every travel hurdle, she’s convinced it can dramatically transform the atmosphere of the entire day.
“I’m not saying this is a solution to all the challenges, but it can change the whole travel day,” she added.
Parents swiftly filled the comments section with approval, with numerous people revealing they intended to give the suggestion a go during their next family getaway.
One user commented: “5 is the best!”
In additional videos, the mum also rated how “fun” travelling with children is according to their age — conceding that newborns achieve a reasonably decent 6/10.
Nevertheless, things rapidly deteriorated after that, with one-year-olds earning merely 3/10, while two-year-olds landed at a harsh 1/10 owing to their “strong opinions but no logic”.
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Beyond that stage, however, she indicated that travelling progressively becomes simpler, with her rating system climbing by approximately two points for each additional year of age.