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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
CornChips · 26/03/2015 13:33

That was '15 or under got in for free'.

StayingSamVimesGirl · 26/03/2015 13:38

Enough - I suspect some do know that it is wrong. If they honestly thought it was a decent and acceptable thing to do, they wouldn't be calling those of us who don't do it names like goody goody, sanctimonious, holier-than-thou etc. They want us to shut up because our existence means they can't say 'but everyone does it, it's fine'.

Bananayellow - all the entrance mony that you pay goes to the attraction, whereas the money you spend in the gift shop does not - because they have to pay for the stock.

Caboodle - I do my best not to break the law - I am not perfect, I am human. I do sometimes speed, but not on purpose, and when I do see that my speed has gone over the limit, I decelerate. I am sorry that you want to believe everyone is a liar and dishonest.

lemonade30 · 26/03/2015 13:59

well actually they can still proclaim that its fine. they don't have to give either your opinion or your disapproval the time of day.

Shockers · 26/03/2015 14:09

My mum told my 16 yr old DD (with LD) to say she was 15 on the train the other day.

I told her that Granny must be joking... we all know it's wrong to tell lies Hmm.

StayingSamVimesGirl · 26/03/2015 14:12

If they thought what they were doing really was fine, they wouldn't need to try to shut up those who disagree with them.

CatthiefKeith · 26/03/2015 14:49

On holiday last year a relative of dh's (who was with us) pulled this stunt at the aquapark.

Our dd was 3.4. theirs was 3.8. We paid for dd, they blagged their ds in as under 3.

Hilariously though the Aquapark had obviously cottoned on to this little scam and their ds was only allowed in the toddler splash pool as he wasn't wearing a wristband. Grin

One of my favourite parts of the holiday was watching him go back and try to explain to the lady on the desk that he had accidentally forgotten his son's last birthday. Grin Grin Grin

TheFairyCaravan · 26/03/2015 15:01

We couldn't get away with it when ours were little because they were so bloody tall. But when I was young I was a tiny thing so my parents never paid full price, I think I was 10 for about 4 years!

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 26/03/2015 16:20

I've done it. And I'll do it again.

And I'm laughing at the suggestions of if you can't afford it don't go.

Oh do Fuck off!

RandomNPC · 26/03/2015 16:23

^ voice of sanity

BloodyDogHairs · 26/03/2015 16:29

I've done it, one year at Disney I bought a 14 day pass for my nearly 4 yr old. Never once at any of the parks was I asked for his ticket so I came home and sold it back on ebay. This year my ds will be just 2 months over 3 and I'm not buying him a Disney pass, I'll say he's nearly 3 if I'm asked. At Disney my 11yr has to pay a adult pass so by not being truthful I'm saving myself nearly £400.

SomewhereIBelong · 26/03/2015 16:31

"And I'll do it again" mmmm really.... you are telling people that you are going to commit a criminal act in the future...

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 26/03/2015 16:32

Oooh careful Doghairs you'll be going to hell with a ticket paid for by some of this lot Wink

I personally like your style.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 26/03/2015 16:34

That would be correct.

ElsaShmelsa · 26/03/2015 16:38

I did this for at least a year at our local Farm Activity Centre. There's got to be some bonuses for constantly being asked 'why is your daughter so small'. Now she's at school the other children ask her directly and she doesn't know what to say. She's nearly 6 and the average height for a child who is under 4. Sad

Before anyone says anything (in a well-meaning way) we've had all the tests done for the usual things (Turners/Growth Hormone etc etc) through the Paediatrician and there's nothing wrong, she's just small.

MagicMojito · 26/03/2015 16:45

MRS Grin

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 26/03/2015 16:47

What do you tell your children to say if they're asked how old they are? Age is a big deal for most kids. Do you tell them to lie if asked?

MRsItsNow would it be possible for people to express their point of view without you telling them to fuck off? Aggressive posts don't really help to keep a debate on track.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 26/03/2015 16:50

Didn't actually tell anyone in particular to Fuck off.

hackmum · 26/03/2015 16:51

I think people who habitually cheat assume that everyone else habitually cheats.

I wouldn't do this. But then I can afford not to. I'm not so much of a sanctimonious cow that I don't appreciate it's a lot harder if you haven't got much money.

DocHollywood · 26/03/2015 16:52

Regarding the zoo admissions, if a family genuinely can't afford another child's admission costs then the family won't go therefore depriving the zoo of 2 adults and one older child's admission fees so the zoo are worse off. Surely fairly priced family tickets are the best way? They seem to be a thing of the past now.

BrendaBlackhead · 26/03/2015 16:56

BloodyDogHairs: Re selling on Disney passes. It is illegal. From the Mousesavers site:

  1. Disney tickets are nontransferable. Each ticket can be used only by one person. Disney uses a biometric finger scan system at the gate that takes a partial fingerprint the first time the ticket is used, and records it on the ticket’s magnetic strip. If the scan doesn’t match, you can’t use the ticket.
  1. In Florida it is illegal to resell partly-used multi-day admission tickets/passes. It’s likely that you’ll get to the gate and find out the passes are no good. Needless to say, Disney is not going to help you with this. It is a great way to ruin a vacation.
WizardOfToss · 26/03/2015 17:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BloodyDogHairs · 26/03/2015 17:03

brenda The ticket was never used so it wasn't linked to anyones finger prints and it was years ago, the person that bought it left good feedback. I'm sure they would have been back in contact if they had problems at the gate.

sparkysparkysparky · 26/03/2015 17:08

I don't - if you do, that's your choice. Why are you asking for opinions?

ErrWhat · 26/03/2015 17:12

I love these threads Grin

I don't do it. I have this thing about trying to avoid casual lies. It makes life simpler and I like the feeling of being an honest person.

We used to ski a lot when the kids were younger. I would tell the cashier my kids real ages and would ask if they could still have the cheaper passes. I would do this for about a year or so after their birthdays. I was sold the cheaper ticket every single time. It must have been dozens of times and it was at a number of different mountains.

I think it's cheap to lie about your kids ages and I think it's setting a bad example. I don't loose sleep over it though Wink What irritates me the most is if people try to 'justify' it. If you are gojng to do it then just do it and don't pretend to yourself its anything other than what it is. Saying things like you are going to spend money in the shop is irrelevent as is saying that the companies won't miss the money. The fact that some people try to minimise it suggests they think it's wrong too.

I've more respect for posters that are happy to admit they do it and they don't care. At least they are honest about it. Iyswim

Stillwishihadabs · 26/03/2015 17:18

Can't remember if I have done this....However have got Dd to say she was 6 (she was 4-tall) so she could ride the cars at lego land taken ds,Dd and me to London Zoo the week before his 3rd birthday on a "winter ticket" so the 3 of us got in for £9 or something.....also in France this summer DS was 10 but I bought him the menu enfant for less than 10 year olds more than once....