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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think parents lying about their child's age to get cheaper tickets is wrong?

252 replies

Liketochat1 · 25/07/2012 15:29

The swimming thread got me thinking about a chat I was having the other day. Parents were saying they lie about their child's age to get cheaper or free tickets to parks, zoos, shows etc... They claim their children are under 5, 3 or whatever when they aren't.
AIBU to think this lying is wrong and unfair or is it just to be expected?

OP posts:
5madthings · 25/07/2012 16:15

exaclty paradise, by not paying for ds4 we saived £20+ which we then spent on food/drinks etc anyway.

but then i was ont he beach on monday (really windy) and a tenner blew over to me, it was a bit damp and bedragly, looked aroudn but no-one seemed to be looking for it or chasing it in the wind, so we bought the kids ice creams as a treat. i 'should' have handed it in to the police or put it in a charity box i guess...

KellyElly · 25/07/2012 16:15

paradisechick that's a good point as that extra £20 ticket can mean the difference between going and not going to some families. What's the harm.

5madthings · 25/07/2012 16:18

god my typing is terrible today and you dont have an 'edit' facility when unless i do the preview message thing which is a faff!

and yes kelly there have been times when we wouldnt have had the money to go if we had to pay full price for all.

DozyDuck · 25/07/2012 16:19

I'm regularly told on the bus that DS is 4. He's 6 but is in a disability buggy. They say 'one adult?' and I say 'and a child' they say 'why how old is he?' I say '6' they say '4?' and i get on. Up to them :)

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 25/07/2012 16:20

I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

These places should charge by height anyway, as there are rides that children coud or couldn't go on depending on their height, not their age.

exexpat · 25/07/2012 16:21

I'd never get away with pretending my two were younger (both very tall for their ages) but have sometimes claimed they were older.

We were at an amusement park this month where you had to be 10 to go on most of the roller coasters without an adult. DD is three months off turning 10, is the size of a 12/13 year old, and is extremely confident, sensible and keen on roller coasters. At Universal Studios earlier this year she did the biggest roller coaster three times in a row (that one went on height not age) all by herself.

I did one ride with her this time, but really didn't fancy some of the roller coasters, so she went on by herself - no one even asked her age as she looks well over 10, so I suppose we weren't technically lying... It did save me money as I didn't have to pay for two tickets for each ride, but that wasn't the reason for doing it.

workshy · 25/07/2012 16:21

on the flip side I've got a problem with getting on a bus with DD now

11-16 if they don't have a pass they pay adults price

dd is 10 but looks older so gets asked for her pass, but they won't let her have one because she isn't 11!

5madthings · 25/07/2012 16:23

the height thing doesnt always work either as just because a child is tall enough does not mean they want to or are capable of going on some things.

my ds4 is tall so we have to pay the higher price at a park near us, but despite being tall he still wasnt physically capable or competent to go on the climbing equipment/frames etc he was only 2 when we started having to pay the higher price for him and he really was to young to go on lots of the equipment, despite technically being 'tall' enough.

firawla · 25/07/2012 16:24

never done this but have gone somewhere the day before birthday rather than on the birthday itself, to make it a bit cheaper Blush

i've heard of some places asking to see proof of age for young ones due to alot of people doing this?? but not sure which places really do this

somebloke123 · 25/07/2012 16:24

Strictly speaking it is wrong.

Have I ever done it? Well, to quote from G&S's HMS Pinafore:

Never, no never!
What never?
Well - hardly ever.

BikeRunSki · 25/07/2012 16:28

Not an option here! 3 yo DS is very tall, (5-6 clothes) and I have been carrying a copy of his birth certificate around for years to prove his youth!

rosyposyandc · 25/07/2012 16:29

If I can do it then I will, I don't feel the slightest bit bad about it either. In fact I consider it a total non-issue

exexpat · 25/07/2012 16:29

If there were some standard proof of age thing for children then it would all be rather more clear-cut, but there isn't.

I've just got DD a 5-10 Oyster photo card for when we go to London to prove that she isn't over 11, and an 11-15 one for DS (13) to prove that he's not over 16, but even though you have to send London Transport passport details to confirm their dates of birth, I'm not sure that anywhere else would accept it as proof of age.

5madthings · 25/07/2012 16:32

when i travelled in london with d1 recently (12) they told me to say he was 11 so we didnt have to pay as i went up to the ticket desk to enquire about getting hima ticket and said he was 12 and he said 'oh just say he is 11 if anyone asks' :)

azazello · 25/07/2012 16:34

We took DD to the zoo for her 3rd birthday. It was just as well we didn't try and stick to the absolute truth that she wasn't in fact 3 (born at 8pm at night so strictly speaking not really three until that evening) as she was dancing round singing '3 today, look at meeee!' all day.

ProPerformer · 25/07/2012 16:37

I have done it, but not often. (My DS is only 3 anyway!) But I did say he was 2 a couple of days after his 3rd birthday when friends of ours were having a 'kids meet up' at a play centre - I had sod all money at the times and they started charging at 3 years old.... I did buy drinks thee which I wouldn't normally so. Last year on holiday when DS was 2 3/4 I actually said he was older than he was.... He was desperate to go on the trampolines at a funfair but you had to be 3 so..... I told the lady he was 3.

mrsscoob · 25/07/2012 16:37

Azello I would have told the people at the desk that she wasn't 3 until 11. I bet they wouldn't have charged you for her

msbuggywinkle · 25/07/2012 16:40

Bus drivers here won't usually let me pay for DD1 who is 6, but has 3yo friends who are taller than her!

oopslateagain · 25/07/2012 16:40

I have the opposite problem - DD looks a lot older than she is, so I regularly have to point out she's a child when they try to charge me adult rates. Not as bad as my friend though, her son is 15 and 6'4", he looks about 19. She carries his passport. Grin

DontEatTheVolesKids · 25/07/2012 16:52

Meh, I have done it; I once joked on MN that I thought it was compulsory!! I have been encouraged to do it occasionally by ticket collectors/amusement park staff. I don't see the big deal if the child is only just over (under 1 yr over) the age threshold for a big price hike.

Particularly if you're in a large group & you'll end up spending way more in refreshments & souvenirs once you set foot thru the door then they ever lost on one of the admissions.

insanityscratching · 25/07/2012 17:03

The last time I caught the bus with dd's I asked for two adults and a child and got given 1 adult and a child because "no charge for five and under and she's obviously not 14" They are in fact aged 9 and 19 only very small and petite.Have to admit I kept quiet though Blush

Noqontrol · 25/07/2012 17:06

Ive pretended dd was under 3 at legoland. Wrong? Maybe, but shes too small to go on loads of the rides anyway, and the prices are extortionate. I didn't feel guilty.

ProPerformer · 25/07/2012 17:10

somebloke ..... omg you quoted G&S!!!! sorry but it's my obsession and I get so excited when I meet or hear of other fans and to have someone quote on somewhere like this... "Oh joy oh rapture"

Right enough of that sorry I'm just a sad geek I just can't help myself ... Off to the G&S festival on sat! Woo.

McHappyPants2012 · 25/07/2012 17:21

Perhaps theme park should change depending on hight.

Fourfingerkitkat · 25/07/2012 17:25

Is it wrong, ? Well lying is wrong so I suppose when you look at it that way it is...Have I done it ? Yes, plenty times and will do again. It can make the difference between us having a family day out or not at all given the price of tickets, food, drink and the odd wee toy. And if a cafe can charge me 60p for hot water to heat a bottle for DD then I can sleep safe at night knowing I told a porky about DS's age....