The first time I traveled alone with my children through a U.S. airport, my daughter was strapped in a stroller and my son could barely toddle. I remember standing in that security line, watching it snake endlessly ahead of us, and thinking: This is going to be hell.

I was right.

In the United States, children are treated exactly like adults at TSA. Same long lines. Same rigid procedures. It doesn’t matter that your toddler is melting down, that your baby hasn’t napped, or that you’re juggling a diaper bag, two car seats, and what’s left of your sanity. You keep them strapped in the stroller because if you let them out, they’ll bolt. So they scream. And you stand there, sweating, while other travelers shoot you that look—the one that says, “Control your kids.”

You just count the minutes until it’s over.

Then one day, I flew through Latin America.

And it felt like someone actually remembered what it’s like to be a parent.

The Difference a Priority Line Makes

At the airport in São Paulo, I rolled up to security with both kids in tow, bracing myself for the usual ordeal. But before I could even get in line, a staff member waved me over.

“Families here,” she said, pointing to a separate, much shorter line.

No questions. No guilt. Just a smile that said, We’ve got you.

The agent helped me fold the stroller. Another staffer entertained my son while I unloaded our bags. We were through in minutes—not because they cut corners on security, but because they didn’t make us suffer unnecessarily in the process.

It’s such a small thing. But it changes everything.

What Kindness Looks Like in Practice

This isn’t unique to Brazil. Across Latin America—Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Lima, Panama City—the same quiet accommodation for families. Priority lines. Patient staff. A general understanding that traveling with small children is hard enough without adding bureaucratic indifference to the mix.

It’s the difference between being treated as a burden and being treated with empathy.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, I recently saw one airport announce a pilot program for family priority screening, testing out what much of the world has already figured out.

It’s a hopeful sign. But it shouldn’t be revolutionary.

What This Really Says About Culture

Here’s what I’ve learned from years of traveling with kids: systems reveal values.

In Latin America, families aren’t an edge case to be tolerated. They’re expected, welcomed, and planned for. It’s baked into the infrastructure—not just at airports, but everywhere. Restaurants with play areas. Metro cars with stroller space. A general cultural understanding that life doesn’t stop when you have children.

It’s a reflection of something bigger: a society that hasn’t fully bought into the idea that efficiency always trumps humanity.

They’ve optimized for speed and throughput. They built systems that work beautifully—if you’re a solo business traveler with TSA PreCheck and no dependents. For everyone else, you’re on your own.

I’m not saying Latin American airports are perfect. They’re not. But they get this right.