Family

Leave it to kids to teach us how to really savor the sweetness (or in this case, battery flakiness) of life.

In an adorable video posted onto the travel content Instagram account @apeanuttravels, a mom named Vanessa shows how her two-year-old’s first trip to Paris quickly became one thing and one thing alone: a “full-blown croissant tour.”

Indeed, this little gal made the pastry the main event, eating not one, not two, not three, but TWELVE croissants. Let it be known that variety was not sacrificed, though. The croissants themselves ranged from dipped in mayonnaise, to plain, to almond cream, and having gobs of butter plopped on top.

Living “her best Parisian life,” this little one also occasionally donned a delightful red beret or croissant-themed pajamas while enjoying her culinary obsession. Other times she dined against a gorgeous backdrop that she was completely unaware of.

The pâtissière love affair only got more and more passionate, as she counted the croissants one by one (“This is my first croissant… this is my second croissant…”), eventually only being able to exclaim “croisssabbbbaaa!!!” If ever croissant drunk was a thing, she had it.

And while some parents might have felt disappointed that their child didn’t feel that same amount of appreciation for seeing the Eiffel Tower, Vanessa knows that “traveling with a toddler means experiencing a city through snacks,” and that “watching your kid fall in love with something new in a new place is one of the best parts of family travel.”

To be clear, this toddler has her priorities straight no matter where she travels. Take a look at this video from Italy. Now THAT’s how you eat noodles:

According to several of Vanessa’s videos, snacks are a major key to happy toddler travels—from helping ease airplane restlessness to setting a positive tone for the day before anyone even leaves the hotel. A well-timed treat can turn a potential meltdown into a manageable moment, and having familiar foods on hand gives little travelers a sense of stability in an otherwise new environment.

She also suggests planning just one main activity per day rather than a jam-packed itinerary, which leaves room for wandering, resting, and following a child’s natural rhythm. On-the-go naps, making lunch the main meal followed by lighter “snacky dinners” and evening strolls, keeping a consistent bedtime routine, and staying in the same accommodations for multiple nights all help create a sense of predictability.

Once the family began making these simple tweaks, travel became “more fun for all,” Vanessa writes. Less about rushing from sight to sight and more about enjoying the experience together.

This all goes to show that when it comes to traveling with toddlers, the trip you plan and the trip you actually take are rarely the same. Adults might dream of museums, landmarks, and carefully curated itineraries, but little kids tend to fall in love with the small, delicious, delightfully repetitive things. While it might take some adjustment on the parent’s end, watching a child latch onto one joyful obsession has a way of recalibrating expectations for everyone involved. It shifts the focus from checking off sights to noticing what actually feels good in the moment. And years later, those are often the details that stick. Not the postcard views.