Honesty over age when booking tickets

[Babyboomtastic]

How honest are you when booking tickets for places/trains/buses, when it comes to you child's age?

I've always been very honest about it, but sometimes it feels like I'm the only one that is, and I feel like a bit of a mug 😂 I've even had staff on the desk asking me if I was 'sure' they weren't younger!!

I have a (just turned) 5yo, who very much looks like a 3yo (4 at a push), and I'm wondering on whether to book her a train ticket for an upcoming journey, or risk it.

I certainly wouldn't lie about it, and if asked I'd say she was 5 (but would probably say I hadn't realised she needed a ticket). Given how young she looks, and she's often in a pushchair for mobility issues, the likelihood of her being asked is tiny.

Honestly, I'll probably just buy her the ticket as it's the 'right' thing to do, but I'm just wondering what the norm is. Maybe I've just got particularly naughty friends who would risk it. I don't know... 😂

If it’s London buses and tubes are free and you can get a zip oyster to cover mainline but still within London train travel. I’d always be honest though because a) I think it’s a good example to set and b) my DD would have definitely pipe up that she’s 5 if we were challenged, because obviously she’s a big girl, so absolutely no chance of getting away with it!

I have a 5 year old and he would definitely notice if we said he was younger and then either say something or question us about it afterwards.

You missed ‘No because my children are huge’ from your poll. It was hard enough getting age related discounts when they were entitled to them.

😂

I did.

I swear my dad would still try and pass me off as a 6 year old now if he thought he could get away with it. I'm 34.

Always been 100% honest. Anything else is theft.

Totally!

Hence why my quandry is more about volunteering the information, than lying. Do I correct people's assumptions?

When I say small, I mean a below 1m, 13kg little dot of a lady.

My dad would always tell me I was 6 and under on hols at theme parks, water parks etc.

I always got child tickets on the bus all through college.

Still use my student card for train fare discounts now.

OMG this made me laugh so much!!

Mostly honest, but it depends how much the difference is to be honest. Booking festival tickets and a 12 yo is £12 whereas a 13yo is £65. So she’ll be 12 again this year!

I've done it occasionally i.e. booked for under-3s when they were 3 (usually day trip places). I don't feel confident though!

Buses, they used to just not charge me even though I asked for a child ticket saying 'they look under 5' with a wink. However I think they've stopped doing that for return tickets now as could cause an issue when you try and use it on the return journey.

Trains, I always err on the safe side as they can be really strict. However I've had a lovely train person let me off when I'd genuinely left my wallet in the non-baby bag handbag and made sure toddler and I could get back again. (Local train not long journey).

I do for my teenager. They've been 15 for years when we have to pay adult entry.

Small children tend to mention it if you pretend they are younger, so the chances of getting caught out are high.

I'm always honest. It wouldn't occur to me to lie.

I've always bought the tickets, however in Scotland kids get on the train for a quid with a fare paying adult!

I've only once told DS to lie about his age. We were at a theme park with water slides. You had to be 7 or over, and above a certain height, to go on it alone. He was tall enough, just, and was turning 7 less than a week later. He was questioned and happily fibbed that he was 7.

We've paid for DS on the train now he's five. Aside from it being the right thing to do, he wouldn't keep his mouth shut if a guard came round and I am certainly not teaching him to lie.

Having said that, we'd taken him to about three national trust places on our joint membership before anyone asked us how old he was and pointed out we now need to pay! Had no idea. Family membership duly organised 🤦‍♀️

By five, I'm actually ok paying for things. He's into most things now, needs a seat etc. What fucks me off is when I have to pay for two or three years olds who are blatantly too young to fully benefit. And while I'm on my soapbox, anywhere that charges hefty entry fees for a two or three year old, should jolly well have child friendly toilets and low down sinks. Looking at you, Yorkshire rip off Wildlife Park.

Sorry, rant over. As you were.

Always honest here. I'm a solicitor and that sort of trivial fraud is exactly the sort of thing that causes the regulator to come down on you like a ton of bricks - it's not worth risking my whole professional existence and livelihood for the sake of a the money. I'd say the same to anyone working in law or financial services or any other regulated profession.

I still pass off my 19 yo daughter as 15 on the trains!

I do it, I dont know anyone who doesn't Even the staff encourage it a bit. My dc are quite tall, but we still use buggies and they seem not to question it if a child is in a buggy. We've also sometimes bought child tickets on a train even when the child is under 5, to trigger a railcard discount.

I don't have a leg to stand on to assert any moral authority on this one. At 17 I'd pretend I was under 15 to get a half price ticket on the bus into town and then I'd pretend I was over 18 to buy a drink. But, I've always been honest about the age of the kids. More because it seemed fair after they had benefit from free/ discounted entry up until the right age and I didn't want to screw over the place that had been good to us until then.

I wouldn't do it, but I'm not sure how much of that is down to an honest conscience and how much is due to the fact that my DC are massive. I took DS aged 2y 11m to a theme park which was free entry under 3. I was challenged about his age twice at the entrance, although friends have told me they'd taken their 3yo in without a problem.

My DC have always looked younger so I haven't always been honest about their age especially with the older two. I genuinely thought the tube was free for children (U16) so we have always just walked through the barriers together scanning my debit card and no one has ever asked their ages (two are teens). We don't live in London so don't use the tube that is often.

I'd always be honest. I just don't get why you wouldn't be.

I'm a single parent with 3 DCs - the amount of places whose family offers are '2 adults + 2 children' which is irritating so I usually ask for that to cover 1 adult + 3 children, where that's cheaper, and that's always been fine.

I'd always be honest. I just don't get why you wouldn't be.

If you are poor but still want the occasional day out.

I've struggled (still do, in many ways) financially. (Single parent, limited support from non-involved abusive ex).

For the small things like fares, that were mentioned in the OP, these are affordable, really regardless of income.

For days out, I simply didn't do them if not affordable (so theme park type places) but there were plenty of low or no cost options - zoo, park, cinema offers, museums.

I don't broadly get why people would actively plan to defraud organisations.

He was tall enough, just, and was turning 7 less than a week later. He was questioned and happily fibbed that he was 7

We did this with ds3 for a tree climbing activity at a holiday park. You needed to be 6 and over X height. He was 5 and a half but very tall and could easily pass for 6 - so we bought the ticket and told him to say he was 6 and why, which he seemed to fully understand.

Just as we were waiting to start, with all the kids lined up in their safety gear, he said loud as a bell 'Who is it I have to fib to and tell them I'm already six mummy, shall I do it now?' 🤦🏻‍♀️ One of the coaches was standing right next to us, he just smiled and toddled off but ds still got to do it!