There can be a lot of stress before you get to this point
More than half of parents admit that they feel shame and guilt when their child cries or misbehaves in the airport or on a flight.
The study also revealed that one in three find these disturbances one of the most stressful aspects of a trip abroad.
But if your travelling withour a child under the age of five this year, don't get your hopes up too much, as only one in five choose to avoid busy areas at the airport to help deter distrubances.
The research, which polled 1,000 parents in the UK, looked at their experience when travelling with their children and aimed to uncover the most common family stressed when heading on, or returning from holiday.
The study by Gatwick Airport found that more parents are worried about other people's reactions to a crying child than the fact they might be in distress and one in five admit to wishing they had stayed at home - I'm guessing that number isn't as high as those being disturbed.
"Family holidays are supposed to give parents a chance to spend fun and quality time with their children but, as this survey shows, worries can often get in the way," says Becky Wiggins, author of parenting blog English Mum. "Stresses are only made worse by 'guilt trippers' so parents are bes advised to take extra precautions before setting out on their trip."
People are also keen to show the families that they are annoyed with their child, 38 per cent of families admitted that they have experienced an 'evil stare' from other passengers.
Becky Wiggins shares her top tips for families to help counteract the stress that can be induced when travelling with children:
· Go with the flow and treat the journey as an adventure - if you don’t get stressed, then the kids won’t pick up on it
· Pack your child’s rucksacks with interesting things to do: crayons, colouring books, a favourite book or toy (make sure you check if they want to help – although my son once packed scissors and a spud gun!)
· Save a couple of surprises to be whipped out when things are getting stressful
· Most airlines load children first, but It’s not always best to be first on board – sometimes taking an extra few minutes of freedom before being cooped up on a plane journey is a bonus
· Distribute essentials between bags - in case the one with all the important baby items goes missing
· Scan everything and email it to yourself- passports, tickets and travel insurance – you never know when things need replacing on holiday, and it’s much easier if you have all the details
· When travelling with younger children, pack an emergency bag - wet wipes, tissues, change of clothes and most importantly a sealable plastic bag
· Leave plenty of time to get to the airport – then add an hour – airports are great places to explore and an extra hour at the airport is preferable to a meltdown in a traffic jam worrying about missing your flight
Femalefirst Taryn Davies