Children having their own seat on a packed train.

Well said!

Rightio.

Maybe time to reflect upon your sense of entitlement?

Indeed. Imagine thinking you have a right to someone else's seat. Mind blowing.

So people acting in accordance with the train rules published on National Rail are the selfish ones, rather than the people ignoring the rules for their own convenience?

Some children have mobility issues too and if it's a busy train with wheelchairs folded etc it can be difficult to tell.

My son looks perfectly physically capable of standing sat on a train seat when his wheelchair is folded but he can't stand at all.

I see children using a seat, next to their parents, while adults stand. I think it’s absolutely astonishing. The lack of consideration for others is mind blowing.

In the 70s and early 80s people travelled with half a dozen children in the boot of their car,

My DC wasn’t sitting in a disabled seat and the adult didn’t give any reason for needing the seat, so I think it’s fair to assume they weren’t disabled.

I also have hidden disabilities, but would never expect a child to stand for me without at least explaining that I am disabled and need to sit down.

Rightio.

on that basis, your mother’s right to have a child doesn’t mean you should get a seat either.

Yes but it shows that conventions are changing. I would expect a child under 5 to be offered a seat rather than standing on a packed train if they were unable to sit on their parent’s lap for any reason. Making them hold on could be quite dangerous.

Right back at those selfish folk demanding other people's seats.

Yes, the person expecting to get someone else's seat is indeed selfish.

Ask someone in a priority seat and don't pick on a child?

OK thanks. Common decency is collapsing. I have a Priorty card for trains because I have an invisible disability and can’t stand for long. The idea is if there are no seats, I am supposed to show my card to the people sitting in the seats marked ‘priority’ and they are supposed to give up their seats. There are signs all over explaining this. The first time
i used it, i had abuse hurled me. It was so embarrassing. Now I look for a member of staff on the platform to get me a seat.

Depends if they've paid for a seat for the child.

We usually give seats to the kids and then stand ourselves. Having them on my lap feels less safe on most buses and trains.

In the UK we have such strange attitudes to children. In a lot of European countries, young children/young families are seen in the same category as older people - more vulnerable members of society who should actually be amongst the first in line for a seat. I absolutely would not ask my 3 yo to get up for an able bodied adult. I wouldn't get up for an able bodied adult either if I was there first - I imagine most people wouldn't. I would ask an older child to get up for an elderly person who someone who was pregnant, or better yet, I would get up myself.

I agree but lots of people are saying that if you haven't paid for a ticket, you aren't entitled to a seat. That's clearly a ridiculous position

Oh I agree - this we the 70s and 80s but now I would expect mine to get up for someone elderly , pregnant or disabled

Welcome to the tube during school holidays - when parents seem tot ink they 8+yr old darlings should have sets over the elderly, people on crutches etc.

as someone who commuted to work with 2 DCS to the work nursery, they sat on my lap unless the tube was uncrowded and at 4 alternated between lp and standing between my legs.

There does seem a belief that children should have seats because they are children and shcool holdays sees some fairly awful behaviour with adults literlly pushed out of the way so children cat sit, then they spend the journey up and down like yo yos!

As someone in their 40s I would be horrified if a young person got up for me! That would be mortifying!

Well I think you just proved the point there. @GleisZwei

Growing up, it was seen as good manners to give up your seat for an older passenger ( and i mean probably 40+ in those days)

Depending on the journey length I would have sat my 3 year old on my knee but if it was a very long journey i may not have.

On public transport I have told my children to give up their seat for elderly passengers. I am utterly disgusted when i see a young person sitting and an elderly person standing.

When my daughter was 3 she was taller and heavier than most 4 year olds and certainly lots of 5 year olds and I'm very short so the lap dynamics didn't work too well. My feet don't even touch the floor if I sit at the back of the bus 🙈 She also doesn't like touching, hugging etc unless she asks for it because she's an autonomous human with her own brain 😉 it's also safer for a child to sit down on public transport and they can't walk or stand for as long as we can.