third option

package.json

@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
     "lint:js": "eslint --ignore-path .gitignore --fix .",
     "lint:css": "stylelint \"**/web_modules/**/*.css\"",
     "lint": "npm run lint:js && npm run lint:css",
-    "tests": "ava",
+    "tests": "ava --require babel-core/register",
     "#test-boilerplate": "all these weird steps for this 'simple' test-boilerplate has been made to boost CI testing",
     "test-boilerplate-cleanup": "rimraf boilerplate/node_modules && rimraf boilerplate/package.json && rimraf \"test-boilerplate/!(node_modules)\" && mkdirp test-boilerplate/node_modules && rimraf test-boilerplate/node_modules/statinamic",
     "test-boilerplate-links": "lnfs ./node_modules/react test-boilerplate/node_modules/react && lnfs ./node_modules/react-helmet test-boilerplate/node_modules/react-helmet && lnfs ./node_modules/webpack test-boilerplate/node_modules/webpack",
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
     "pretest": "npm run lint",
     "test": "npm run tests && npm run test-boilerplate",
     "posttest": "npm run docs",
-    "test-with-coverage": "nyc npm run tests && npm run test-boilerplate",
+    "test-with-coverage": "nyc --all --require babel-core/register ava && npm run test-boilerplate",
     "posttest-with-coverage": "npm run docs ",
     "coverage": "nyc report --reporter=lcovonly && codecov",
     "release": "npmpub"
@@ -203,9 +203,6 @@
       "**/__tests__/*.js"
     ],
     "failFast": true,
-    "verbose": true,
-    "require": [
-      "babel-core/register"
-    ]
+    "verbose": true
   }
 }