Lying about child's age for free admission

[user1489773847]

Costing out a day trip to the zoo, now that DC has turned two have to factor in their ticket cost. DH says that we should just say he isn't yet two so it's free, and that everyone does it. Just wondered what the general consensus is on this? I feel bad lying but see his point that DS is still pretty young and could end up napping through a lot of it so won't necessarily benefit.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

A relief, ImFucking.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

I hadn't considered you either way, Assasinated.

[Roomster101]

I think that observation is a little unfair, when it seems those of us who do think we should pay are in fact the rebellious minority - it's the majority who are going along with group thinking - everyone does it, it's expected, so it's OK

You may be in the minority but hardly rebellious! Those that lie about age aren't doing it to follow group thinking. They are doing it because they don't want to pay unnecessarily.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

If you're counting me in that list ImFucking, that would be a complete misrepresentation of my thoughts on this. If you care, which I'm sure you don't.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

I think that observation is a little unfair, when it seems those of us who do think we should pay are in fact the rebellious minority - it's the majority who are going along with group thinking - everyone does it, it's expected, so it's OK

It's not aimed at posters like you who have thought through a position and have your own opinion. It's aimed at the "its wrong because it just is and because thats all there is to it" brigade who think there is only one moral answer to any question: their own!
The ones who can't for a second grasp that if people have made a different moral choice to them, its not automatically wrong, who can't understand that ethics are by their very nature relativistic and complicated.

[MsGameandWatch]

In my opinion there is none. But I do of course realise that's just my opinion and therein lies the difference

[AllWorkedOutOk]

MsGameandWatch

Lol, I guess you can't see the irony of you charming post. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[MsGameandWatch]

I don't think it's difficult at all. I bet they feel smug and pleased with themselves constantly and get a real thrill out of judging those that don't meet their idea of what is honest and moral. My mother is a rigid authoritarian type person and she's never happier than when she's imparting and passing judgment on what she considers to be salacious gossip regarding other people's terrible behaviour. I've know a few people like this and people just tend not to like them very much, don't take them seriously and avoid spending time with them where possible. I've noticed too that these kinds of people never like it when you turn it back on them; you get accusations that you're being mean and rude to them and they're all hurt by it.

[Roomster101]

Lack of honesty has created this system. The only way to unpick would be for people to start being honest and paying for their two year olds

It is assumed lack of dishonesty that has created the system and whether or not people stop lying the assumption may still be there. The only really way of changing the system would be for companies for start asking for prove of age. However, why would they bother when everything works fine for the companies and most of their customers as it is. The only people complaining are a minority of suckers who have ended up paying more because they feel they are so moral.

[ArchNotImpudent]

Although I suppose the not having to think for yourself aspect is restful, at times.

I think that observation is a little unfair, when it seems those of us who do think we should pay are in fact the rebellious minority - it's the majority who are going along with group thinking - everyone does it, it's expected, so it's OK.

The payers are those who've thought out the rights and wrongs of the matter and reached a different conclusion from most - that doesn't mean we obey rules unthinkingly - we obey with a rationale, just as the non-payers disobey with their rationale.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

Lordy, its painful, it really is.
I have compassion for those of you going through life with such rigid, black and white thinking. It must be very difficult for you.
Although I suppose the not having to think for yourself aspect is restful, at times.

[AllWorkedOutOk]

It is dishonest and these are excuses

This is true, it is dishonest and a lot of people on this thread are trying to make excuses. If you don't give a shit that it's dishonest then fair enough but it's a bit sad to be trying to come up with reasons why it's actually an ok thing to do.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

It is dishonest and these are excuses

IN YOUR OPINION.
À votre avis
En su opinión
Ngokoluvo lwakho
Ärer Meenung
Ihrer Meinung nach.....

[Trifleorbust]

*neither

[Trifleorbust]

drspouse/

Sorry, but I can either agree that wanting something to do is a 'need', nor that it is your right to decide what price is excessive and then take the service anyway. It is dishonest and these are excuses.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

Would you not go when they were older hence paying for them was worth more (we'd probably go back to the museum in question now both children would enjoy it - even if DD had been awake she wasn't very mobile so would probably just have sat in the buggy and done very little anyway)? Or are you boycotting on principle even if it isn't affecting your family?

Well I have a large age range of children, so that doesn't work too well.
And as I said, I'm not boycotting at all, we're talking in hypotheticals only!

[Factorysettings]

or even taking a larger number of free samples from their food count

Now play fair drspouse, don't paint me as the black sheep, I was sticking up for you when I said that

[drspouse]

is it fair that my children would suffer because I boycott places that I feel charge unfairly? "Sorry kids, you're never going to see a penguin because mammy thinks that the zoo over charges for toddlers"........

Would you not go when they were older hence paying for them was worth more (we'd probably go back to the museum in question now both children would enjoy it - even if DD had been awake she wasn't very mobile so would probably just have sat in the buggy and done very little anyway)? Or are you boycotting on principle even if it isn't affecting your family?

[drspouse]

You have no NEED to go to a museum, surely? And if you did, how much was the ticket?

Well, we were on holiday and we have an older child who needed something to do. Admission is the same price (about £9, it was overseas so not exact) for every person. We paid this for us two adults and for our older DC.

The museum made no loss (so it is in no way comparable to taking "a little bit" of electricity or taking food from Tescos or even taking a larger number of free samples from their food counter). £9 for her to sleep was excessive.

I can understand that at a child-based attraction children are not going to be cheaper than adults (indeed, at some attractions children cost more than adults). In fact, we might have been more inclined to pay (or to come back at a time when we thought she might be awake, or pay and wake her up!) had the cost been less for her, or even less for us (as we're supervising rather than playing).

[katiedoc]

Lie

[ArchNotImpudent]

Sounds like something the wildlife park could potentially develop to both their and the consumers' advantage - expand and have a fairer pricing policy than the zoo.

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

Nope. It's been there 200 years and theres never been another.

Although there is a small wildlife park at the other end of the country now I think about it, but thats over 400km away and not a zoo as such.

[ArchNotImpudent]

Only one zoo - if they've got a monopoly, that does create a problem - is there not a sufficient market for some competition?

[ImFuckingSpartacus]

There is one zoo in my country. One! So yes, they would.

It's not actually a problem for me, I often get free passes (which I sometimes give to relatives who pretend to be me, which I guess some would call immoral too, but makes no difference to the zoo!) and I pay the right costs anyway.

[ArchNotImpudent]

Spartacus - I don't think all zoos have the same charging policy, and, as was discussed upthread, a lot of them invest a proportion of their profits in conservation activity - so I doubt children would need to miss out altogether if people adopted this stance.

My preferred option, though, would be for people to start paying - or at least, offering to pay, in places where staff will wave children through under the unwritten policies.