Mom shares clever life hack to stop kids from begging for toys at stores during Christmas, and it goes viral

A mom's clever life hack on how to stop her children from throwing a temper tantrum at stores during Christmastime went viral after she shared it on Facebook.

Kristina Watts from Washington posted her technique in November and it has picked up more than 53k shares on the popular social media website.

"[I]t's the most amazing parenting hack ever and has stopped MANY meltdowns! If you aren't using this hack...listen up friends," she wrote.

"Obviously I would love to have sweet, well mannered, non-greedy, chill kids, that don't ask for all the things...but I don't," she joked.

"Now...if you have kids like mine...that want the shiny amazing things that fill Target, the grocery store, Office Depot, the gas station, and pretty much everywhere you go this time of year, this is for you," she added. "What is it?! Take a picture. It's that simple."

Watts posted various photos of her child in front of toys that she saw in stores and demanded.

She says that she tells her child, "Let's take a picture with it and send it to Santa so he knows you want it!" before snapping a photograph.

"It's magical. No tears. No tantrums (by either of us). And she forgets about all of them within minutes," she claimed.

The viral post also received more than 12k comments and more than 20k "likes", with many people thanking Watts for the ingenious tip.