Children having their own seat on a packed train.

This happened to us recently on a train back from London - it was absolutely packed. Our DD is 7 and we had bought her a ticket so she absolutely deserved her own seat. However we actually ended up putting her on our lap because an old woman with a stick got on and she didn’t have a seat. Honestly, I don’t think I would have made her move for someone able bodied - she’s heavy now and it made for a very uncomfortable three hour journey!

A three year old gas a lot more need of a seat than an able bodied adult…

You make a good point. But I think I mean that if someone would have to give up a seat, I would give it up rather than my child. they need a seat more than me. But versus another able bodied person, I would sit next to my kiddo 😂😂

A generation where children were treated as second class citizens, seen and not heard, where smacking children was acceptable, where children were not believed over adults.

i think I’m far happier with children being respected and treat as equal individuals who are just as entitled to a seat on public transport as an adult.

No need for me to 'hope'.
HTH

This would annoy me too, OP, but I wouldn’t say anything. On the other hand I wouldn’t give up my seat for a child. Pregnant women, elderly, disabled etc, yes.

Well no. If you’ve paid for a seat it’s yours whether the child or the dog sits on it.

No. No it doesn’t help. Keep hoping, though, eh…

I've actually said lots of useful and factual things, of course you're entitled not to like them. HTH

It’s a glib, patronising and annoyingly repetitive ‘hope this helps’. I’m not sure that they’ve said anything that helps in the entire thread.

Absolutely not. Anyone unable to stand safely, and comfortably, especially with a disabled railcard, or bus pass, should have priority for a seat.

we have already established that no mum can’t easily get a 5 year old and a 3year old onto to her lap at the same time along with her bags- what is she supposed to do?!!

as an abled bodied adult I am more than capable of standing

"When objectively as an under 5 you need it more? "

NOT objectively because a small child can sit in a parent's lap. An adult can't so needs the seat more.

Children under a certain age yes. But posters here seem to think children of any age they deem suitable for laps should move. Also the OP has no idea if this child had a ticket or not. And a child over the age of 5 or whatever is on the terms of carriage that requires a ticket has no obligation to move at all.

Lots of people do buy tickets for their children but many people on here are insisting that good manners suggest that the child has to give up their seat anyway because that is respectful to able bodied strangers.

Free child tickets are for children who can sit on their grown up’s laps. Every t&c for every transport company clearly says if your child can’t sit on your lap you need to pay for their ticket.

Lots of entitled behavior here. It’s not the paying passengers’ problem to accomodate your child’s freebie ticket.

If your child can’t fit on your lap then they don’t buy a free child ticket: simple. Children that need their own seats either get their parent’s seat or their parents buy them one. It’s not rocket science

Posters seem to parrot "but the child can sit on the parent's knee" over and over again. As if the parent's comfort doesn't matter in the least, because they have to do penance for the fact they had the termerity to have a child. As if the moment you have a child you have signed a contract to be a self-sacrificing mule so some able bodied stranger can feel comfortable. Again, I reiterate that I would move my child and have done so many times, But the the absolute entitlement of some adults who expect the kid to jump out of their seats out of reverence for the stranger no matter how tired the mother and child may be is fascinating.

You don't know whether the child has a paid-for ticket or reservation, whether the child or parent has disabilities, or even whether the child's parent is seated or standing. So the answer is no, you should not tell a three-year old to give you their seat. Look around for a fit looking young man and demand his seat: he will be much safer standing than a three-year old would be.

My son has a disabled person's railcard too but he's 9. Is he still less deserving of a seat on a packed train than you just because he happens to be younger?

When we went to London when my kids were little loads of people gave up seats for them, even at rush hour.

You don't know how healthy and safety works do you.

I don't go to London very often but I've seen this.

No they aren't standard size. Some trains I have plenty of legroom some less so, on some my husband, over 6' needs the aisle seat or his knees are touching the seat In front. If I'm visiting my son I will be on three trains, three different companies and the train layouts are all different. The only way you could have a child on each leg would be to have one facing the aisle and one facing the person sitting next to you and they probably wouldn't appreciate the child's feet being on their leg.

Someone earlier on the thread accused me of lying when I said I did this. They had never seen an adult do this apparently. I see it all the time with very small children.