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.

It does cost £30 though

There's the rub

Why pay when you can get stuff for nothing by lying?

She didn't contradict herself in any way, you have just yet again failed to understand.

That is, if they wanted five year olds and over to pay, but knew that if they said 'under fives' parents would sneak in six and seven year olds - they'd say 'under two' with the expectation that many parents will sneak in three or four year olds (but would struggle to pass off most five-year-olds + as 'under two'). That is, the model is based on predicted dishonesty. It might be argued that that makes it 'all right' but if so, it's rather sad that this approach has to be taken.

I'm sure that is exactly what they do and therefore I had no guilt in lying about my child's age when they were a few months over 2. i.e. I presume that the museum just want to make sure that everyone over about 3 pays. Those under 3 don't get much benefit and I suspect fewer families would go if they had to pay the full children's price. All those who pay as soon as their child's 2nd birthday are suckers in my opinion...

I'm always honest about the age and find I quite often don't pay. Oh but he's only little/ he doesn't look 6 or some variation. I think those are the places that make the cutoff younger than they mean because of the age liars.

Indeed Spartacus. Only two people confused on here anyway, everyone else seems to get it, which says it all I think.

I find this very hard to believe. If an ambulance is called, they don't check your ticket stub to see how old you claimed the patient was!

Yes, as if a first aider or ambulance would check a ticket stub rather than just asking the parent for the age of the child.

Any of us that talk about Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy are fucked as far as morals go!

lozzylizzy:

But no-one has said lying is always immoral.

I remember being told by my mum that for the purposes of this holiday, I was 10 years old, (I was 11 and a half). It was a holiday to Jersey, and I don't know how we got away with it.

We went to a museum aimed at children and you had to pay for children over 1, DD was 15 months and was asleep in the buggy. We lied. It's not like she was going to hog the exhibits and stop an older child from having a go.

drspouse:

And that makes it right?

It makes it fine Trifle. It's of no real consequence.

Factorysettings:

I didn't ask that. Is it right or wrong?

It makes it reasonable.

Factorysettings:

Again, not really an answer. I assume that's because the only (very obvious) answer is that it is wrong.

It's not a binary concept. Not everything goes neatly into right or wrong, most things are neither. It's a spectrum, not a dichotomy.

No, I don't think it is wrong because it was reasonable and without consequence. I think it sits benignly in the grey area between right and wrong.

Factorysettings:

Forgive me for going round in circles, but does that mean you would cheerfully steal from Tesco if you believed Tesco wouldn't miss the item? Would you be happy with someone siphoning off your electricity as long as it was only a little bit?

Again with the inane comparisons!

Well no, I wouldn't steal from tesco but I might raid the promo counter if it was full of cake an no one was supervising.

Factorysettings:

Why wouldn't you steal? What is the actual difference?

Factory, don't bother, its all been explained, she's only asking you because she;s not talking to anyone else on the thread who has already taken the time to talk to her.....

Well, firstly, I have no need to steal and can afford everything I need in the supermarket. Secondly, there is huge personal risk in being caught and prosecuted.

In the history of never, has someone been prosecuted for saying a sleeping baby is 12 months old rather than 15 months old and gaming free entry into a museum.

Meh, it's this or tidy Spartacus.

It's interesting anyway. I'm finding that I am mostly honest for an easy life