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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To lie about DD's age to get her in free?

375 replies

Kasterborous · 25/03/2015 14:56

I'm prepared to be told I was being unreasonable. We took DD who turned three 24 days ago to our local Wildlife park today. Under three they get in free, over three it's £10.00 which seems a lot so we said she was two. I know it was dishonest and next time we will pay for her.

OP posts:

Nanny0gg · 25/03/2015 18:45

I know it's dishonest but it's often at places which are a bit of a rip off in the first place. I know that's not an excuse but perhaps if these things were more realistically priced people would be less inclined to try and save money.

If you think somewhere is too expensive, then may I suggest that you take the option of not going.

Problem solved.

Caboodle · 25/03/2015 19:01

One of my children had a 'insert random theme park here' age and their actual age. Glad we did this too - said theme park charged for actual age but had very few rides child could go on, because the age and height restrictions meant child would have had to be at least 2 years older. Now that is a rip off.

No high horse here. I spend a bloody fortune in these places (including chucking a perfectly good family sized packed lunch away when one place decided you had to buy food inside...at ridiculous prices.)

Of course, theme park has the option of checking.

Don't beat yourself up over this OP, and ignore the 'holier than thou' crowd. They will say they have never ever broken a rule / the law.....but I wonder if every single one of them has never driven over the speed limit?

Sallystyle · 25/03/2015 19:02

I used to do it too. An advantage of having teeny tiny children.

I slept easy at night.

DrankSangriaInThePark · 25/03/2015 19:05

Loving the 'holier than thou' comments. I'll take it as a compliment thanks. I'd rather be holier than thou than a thief and proud if it. Some people really are shameless.

Fugacity · 25/03/2015 19:07

Yabu

Catsize · 25/03/2015 19:29

It really annoys me when people do this.
We took our son somewhere the day after he was 1. Over 1s had to pay. Well not them exactly.. He was over 1. Simples. All this '24 days' crap. Where do you draw the line? Only it isn't a line for you to draw is it?
Anyway, it is unfair on the rest of us who are honest. I hope one day your kid will say 'no I am not, I am 3' when you try to get them in. And people wonder where their kids get the idea to lie...

Oldieandgoldie · 25/03/2015 19:37

Hmmmmm, so those lovely cashiers who let three year olds in for free....are they thieves too? (Defrauding the park owners?)

Interesting thread.

parallax80 · 25/03/2015 19:39

Presumably it would be a disciplinary matter if they were caught doing it?

Maria33 · 25/03/2015 19:42

I think teaching your children to break rules sometimes is important YANBU

BernadetteMatthews · 25/03/2015 19:46

I do this too.

WayfaringStranger · 25/03/2015 19:47

The best part of this thread is the comment that people who do this (I don't btw) are just one step away from shoplifting and benefit fraud.

whereonthestair · 25/03/2015 19:50

I never did, but boy did I resent it when ds was over the cut off, purely because he happened to have been born 11 weeks early (especially when he was 2 on his passport, but shouldn't have been and still couldn't sit independently well which is a different story). I think it is dishonest, but I also had a long time when I believed age to be very arbitrary. Ds is actually the same age from when he was conceived as many children 3 months younger by their date of birth.

I also now go in as his carer though so I guess it comes out in the wash.....

mrsmalcolmreynolds · 25/03/2015 19:51

I'm with Salmotrutta Sangria and others who believe this is not ok. The shoplifting analogy is an appropriate one - saying that eg. Douwe Egberts coffee is overpriced does not justify shoplifting it instead of just buying something you think is decent value instead. Same goes for attractions/days out and I'm shocked that so many PP don't get that.

If it makes you feel better to say I'm sanctimonious or don't live in the real world, fine. However I know that's not true and I suspect you do too.

RabbitSaysWoof · 25/03/2015 19:53

Ive told 2 year old ds he is 3 incase they ask him when he's in Ikea creche.

parallax80 · 25/03/2015 19:54

I think teaching your children to break rules sometimes is important

I sort of agree with this in theory (although by nature I am a massive rule follower) but how do you teach them which "sometimes" are acceptable? Is it ok to break the rules / lie if:

there's no specific victim?
it saves you money? But how much money - assuming large scale fraud is not ok?
you can (probably) get away with it?
if (you think) lots of people do it?

I guess at the end of the day we're all pickers and choosers!

TurnOverTheTv · 25/03/2015 19:57

I must be awful. I've done this three times, at Center Parcs! I don't need a bastard third bedroom for my tiny toddler!

Maria33 · 25/03/2015 19:59

I tend to obey rules too but a streak of rebellion is important. I don't overthink it - I just don't play ball occasionally. It's good for my soul.

waithorse · 25/03/2015 20:01

I've done it on the odd occasion in the past. Can't get worked up about it.

lemonade30 · 25/03/2015 20:33

some of us (whisper it) don't even do this for mercenary reasons but for the fleeting thrill of breaking the rules.
yep some of us are just plain old borderline kleptomaniac......

CaptainAnkles · 25/03/2015 20:37

I don't think I ever lied about the DC's ages to get them in free anywhere, but I don't really have a problem with anyone else doing it. Especially when it's literally a couple of weeks since she would have been free to get in anyway.

Howcanitbe · 25/03/2015 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 25/03/2015 20:56

I don't do it. I've got to set an example to my DC. It's tempting, but no.

I'm not particularly bothered what others choose to do, and so no 'sanctimonious crap' from me.

And there it would have been left, until I would definatly do this. Anyone who doesn't is a fool upthread caught my eye.

It fairly grating to read a comment that labels me 'a fool' for not lying to save a few quid. Whilst this comment says much more about the author than I will add here, I would frankly rather be labelled a fool than a liar.

MrsMook · 25/03/2015 21:44

DS has taken a while to master what age he is. When about to pay for a miniature train trip, he said he was 2 when asked. I was about to answer with his real age of 3. I don't know if he did me a financial favour there.

I did lie when he went to soft play at 13 months. He was still a crawler, and the entrance free went from free to £5. Their baby area was quite poor, so I spent the whole time shoving and pushing him up the main play frame. I've been honest at other ones that charge an appropriate amount for the service on offer.

But I did travel on a bus at child fare at 29. I didn't ask, and the driver didn't ask for ID like he should. I didn't realise until I had my ticket and sat down.

Maliceaforethought · 25/03/2015 21:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KidLorneRoll · 25/03/2015 22:23

It's a twatty thing to do. If you can't afford something, you don't get to just take it or abuse a facility. What a wonderful example to set a kid.

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