What perks did you have because of your parents job?

[SanFranBear]

My dad worked in Air Traffic Control and finished his career working at Heathrow. I was lucky enough to go on several visits to the top of the tower and see the incredible work that happens there... the radar screens, the dishes out on the roof and the best view of planes taking off in the airport. I cannot imagine that this would be allowed today (it was 30 odd years ago when I visited) and it was a genuine treat!

My mum managed a dry cleaners which was ace as it meant I could buy whatever really - most of my friend weren't allowed dry-clean only clothes

What sort of perks or treats did you get because of the jobs your parents had?

My mum used to work at center parcs so we got day passes, and my dad was a mechanic so I never paid for car repairs.

He runs a bar now, so free gin

University lecturer in education. I could borrow 30 books at a time from the library.

My step dad was quite high up in Arriva so I got free boys and train travel on Arriva and Virgin trains.

Supposed to say bus not boys

My dad was marketing manager for Scotch brand at 3M, loads of post it notes, smelly stickers when they were a thing. We were told off if we said sellotape. Then he went to a posh pen company and we got nice pens, all the really expensive ones seem to have been lost over the years which is a shame.

My parents ran a pub. I had coke and lemonade on tap and crisps whenever I liked. Lots of pub food too and also a decent game of Scrabble after school most days.

Dad - Free panto visit at Xmas. Mini shampoos etc from hotel visits. Home from work at 5pm every day for tea (except on the occasional trips away of course).
Mum - Teacher so around in holidays, can't think of anything else.

@Jessicabrassica

University lecturer in education. I could borrow 30 books at a time from the library.

Oooh.. I would've loved that!!

Stethoscopes and syringes to play hospital with our dolls (without the needles in)

My dad worked for British Rail. We used to travel first class everywhere because he used to get reduced rates, and a number of free tickets every year. As dependents we also could buy "privilege tickets" as they used to be called.

We also travelled all round Europe by train

My mum was a district nurse so had a dressing or bandage (she used to bring the out of date ones home) for any wound or make believe games.
She was also really good at looking after me when I was ill.

My parents were in hospitality so we ate well. On my first day at work back in 1979 I took smoked salmon sandwiches for my packed lunch.

Free dental checkups and treatment - still do - dreading DM retiring!

My dad worked in liquidations so often had high spec computers and amazing industrial strength kitchen stuff like microwaves (we used to zapp a baking potato in 3 minutes.... Was a shock when I got to uni and if took like 10 minutes to microwave a potato).

Mum nothing exciting really. I got to yell at her students occasionally

My mum worked in an office. Sometimes I would have to wait for her while she was finishing off. She used to give me sheets of carbon paper (remember that?) to play with. I also enjoyed photocopying my face.

My Dad was a lorry driver and would often transport turkeys so we got a free turkey at Christmas every year (usually too big for the oven as they didn't sell as well). My siblings and I would tag along in the lorry sometimes and hang out at the farms

Flew an AWAC flight simulator.
Multiple free air shows.
Climbed around some US fighter jets.
Free pool use (Olympic size, parent was a lifeguard).
Free use of dark room for developing photos.
Could use Le Shuttle as and when we wanted, could cross to France for £1, have lunch in Bruges, drive home, another £1 to cross back.
Discount Railcard.
Discount for railways as an adult.

Mum worked for a gp with his own dispensary (late 60s early 70s). She brought home ‘spares’ and rep’s samples, including painkillers and antibiotics. Most memorably we had an inexhaustible supply of something I remember as ‘Appesate’ which was given out as a slimming aid but was mainly an amphetamine. Very effective.

Used dot-matrix computer paper with perforated edges that had not been torn so it could be unfolded to make a very long piece of paper.

Not parents, but a close relative - work experience at an iconic magazine and backstage access/ free concert tickets.

As a young child my dad worked on the ferries and we got a free crossing to France each year. Every family holiday was a European road trip.

By the time I was an older teenager, and into my 20s, he worked on cruise ships so we got practically free cruises. It was such a privilege to be able to travel like I did back then.

elQuintoConyo - sounds like your parent was in aviation too? We also went to heaps of airshows although I never went for a flight (my brother got to go loop the loop once though!)

My dad always had a fancy company car and was given tickets to major sporting events. Mum nicked a lot of unwanted functional stationery

My dad was a farrier so I got a horse.
I’m not too sure why we had him, I think someone needed somewhere to keep him and we had a field.
Dad often got paid in kind too. Most of the stuff, like eggs and cheese wasn’t of much interest. I liked it though when he worked for the man who owned a brewery. He’d pay dad in beer and put a dozen cans of Dr Pepper on for me.

My Mum was a secretary in the 60's and for a while worked in the newsroom at the BBC. We had old news scripts on various pastel coloured paper for our scrap/drawing paper, it was only typed on one side. No-one else had coloured paper to draw on!