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.

Factorysettings:

Maybe. It's still not okay. I get the impression here that there are lots of MNetters lying about their kids' ages on the bus, theme parks, soft play, restaurants...wherever they can really. And their 'excuse' seems to be 'fat cats' My view is, if you think something is a rip off, don't buy it.

Deadsouls:

Of course it makes them dishonest. In the case of a theme park or zoo ticket, they are willing to lie to save money on something they could live without. Where is the moral defence?

They are dishonest in this situation but it doesn't follow that they are then dishonest in every single matter, situation etc
Or are you saying, 'if someone does this they are dishonest full stop'

Because I don't believe that at all

This is terrible but in Ireland when I was a teenager, the bus fare used to be 54p for adults and 27p for children. Bus drivers used to sometimes let secondary school 'children' off with 27p.

So on Saturday I would go in to the pub in town and have a few pints and pay the child's fare home.

Deadsouls:

Most people are capable of honesty when it doesn't cost them too much. The test is whether they are honest when it costs them something.

trifle
You're making an assumption about people and is 'moral' and 'right' and what is not. You've even stated a test for it. Whose test is this anyway?
Have you heard of moral relativism? And people might have a different or opposing idea of it to you?

Deadsouls:

You're entitled to your opinion, of course, as am I. Mine is that it is the mark of a dishonest person to lie to gain things they don't need.

We were at center parcs a couple of weeks ago and dd2 (6) was about to do the go ape thing. Last time she went she had to do the little one but this she was big enough for the big one.

As we were walking down to it I said 'isn't it good you're old enough to do the big one now'. And she said 'but how old do I have to pretend to be?'.

Poor child. She's been conditioned to pretend she's older/younger than she really is far too many times over the years.

@MiddlingMum
Would you steal from the zoo in any other way?

Ooh. Do people do this? Is this a thing. I'd love ❤ a zebra. Do you think they'd notice?

I'm with @Trifleorbust. I can understand someone stealing to feed themselves or their child. But I would not lie or steal to gain something I do not need.

Over the years, there have been plenty of things we haven't been able to afford for ourselves, or for the dses, so we have either done without or saved up.

My view is, if you think something is a rip off, don't buy it

indeed. Poor families: don't go anywhere! Stay in your hovels and behave yourselves according to MY morals!!

Meh. Your morals are your own. They are not universal. I am not obliged to share them.

ImFuckingSpartacus:

Oh right. Stealing is fine then

It's like stealing from the gift shop or stealing an employees hourly wage just because you don't want to pay. Lying about your kids age is as classless as either of those two things. It happens at our local soft play - it's in a very poor area - the mums who do this are fucking shameless.

I'd lie as long I could.

i would, and have

also rebranded my two youngest as twins last time we went to London en famille to get a family room. (max two adults, children under 16)

ds2 was 2 weeks past 16, and dd two years and 6 weeks past 16...we passed them off as "16 next week, and we are here for a big TWINNY birthday jaunt!!"

they did say "he's tall" about ds, but he has been over six foot since age 14, but they did not bat an eye at dd!

I can't lie...my face always gives it away...

I had the problem the other way round. My daughter who was 3, wanted to go on a ride in legoland where she had to be 4. So we are standing in the queue and I'm saying "remember when the lady asks how old you are, you are 4" She said "I'm already 4 ?? ok".. When it was her turn, she was asked and said "I'm already 4"..... Phew. (she's tall for her age so was safe on the ride).

It's like stealing from the gift shop or stealing an employees hourly wage just because you don't want to pay

It's nothing like either of those things.

I'm surprised by how many people have the rigid moral thinking of small children. No subtlety at all.

ImFuckingSpartacus:

Instead of banging on about your 'subtle grasp' of morality, perhaps you could explain why you think stealing is different from stealing?

It's not subtlety, it's fraud. Deceit. Lying. Setting a poor example to our children.

I don't think I'll bother, with such rigid ideas I doubt you'd appreciate it.

ImFuckingSpartacus:

Oh right

You can't make a moral argument for lying here. You just can't. It's the wrong thing to do, at least be honest enough to admit it.

When I read these types of thread I wonder why it is that it simply wouldn't cross my mind to lie about somthing like this. My DH wouldn't either. Even if I knew I 100% that i could get away with it I still wouldn't. I'm not religious either so it's not the threat I'm going to go to hell either.

I just think 'what's the right thing to do' and I do that, I don't agonies over it or get angry about how much companies choose to charge. If I think somewhere is too expensive then I wouldn't go. It's pretty straightforward.

I know there must be a point where I would be prepared to steal. I guess if my kids were starving then I would but unless it was something extreme like that I would feel 'cheap' and a bit pathetic to lie about a kids age to get into a zoo or theme park. ( ....although wouldn't feel cheap to ask if they would make an exception and sell me the cheaper ticket anyhow 🤔).

As I mentioned earlier in the thread - it's the people who try to justify the stealing that I find a bit pathetic. If you are happy to steal then at least be 'honest' about it.....

BTW trying to pretend that lying about a kids age so that you pay less than you should isn't actually stealing is a great example of how people try to sugarcoat stealing. I've more respect for people that acknowledge what they are doing and just don't care. 😂