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.

[golfbuggy]

You see I don't get this "it's expensive if you're a family" malarkey. Everyone knows children cost money. Going to a zoo/theme park is not a necessity (mine have never been except on Tesco vouchers and the like). Why is it ok to say "it costs a lot for a family, therefore I won't pay for 1 child" but not ok to decide that you won't bother paying to clothe your younger either and you'll just steal their clothes from the shop.

[Roomster101]

I always think that they are expecting people to lie and take that into account when deciding on what age can get in free so will do it without guilt.

[RufusTheRenegadeReindeer]

I have done it once

I said that 13 year old ds1 was 12

Weirdly they believed that but didnt belive that 10 year old dd was under 12 as she was taller than him

Apart from that i have only fibbed to get them on rides, usually made them less than a year older

[monkeyfacegrace]

golfbuggy because stealing clothes costs someone money.

Taking my 2 year old to the zoo doesn't.

You're right, days out aren't a necessity, but fuck me wouldn't life be boring if we only did necessities.

Our third child was a surprise miracle and I don't feel an ounce of guilt for lying about her age. Morally bankrupt or not.

[GreatFuckability]

I used to do it for my ds, he was tiny for his age and coudln't take advantage of the rides, so i felt it was unfair to pay a childs ticket, for an infant sized person. when he was tall enough that he could start using things i paid.

[AllThePrettySeahorses]

Do it. I'm always on the other side of this because 4 year old DD is over 4ft tall and I'm sick of arguing with bus drivers and so on who want to charge because they think she's over 5.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I always think that they are expecting people to lie and take that into account when deciding on what age can get in free so will do it without guilt. Which is the same argument shoplifters use, and people that defraud insurance companies.

[Someone22]

I took my DD swimming for free, for ages after I should have paid for her.

[Trainspotting1984]

Do shoplifters use that? Round here they tend to be kids (bound to say something stupid so hardly worth listening to) or drug addicts. Who aren't exactly justifying it.

[thegoatwhogotthequiche]

I just pay the full price, largely because I don't want to teach my DCs that it acceptable to lie. I'm sure that in a few years time I will be having the 'tell the truth please' conversation and they would be like...really? like you do? so I am a bit boring and don't fib about stuff...plus as said by a pp, it keeps things simple.

[golfbuggy]

monkeyfacegrace So your daughter doesn't use any of the facilities in the zoo at all? She doesn't cause any general wear and tear? Of course there is a cost to having more people there!

[allegretto]

I bought ds a ticket on the train and the inspector said "you don't need a ticket for under 6s". Him "I'm 7" inspector: "well you don't look it, you could have saved some money" moral of the story, even those in charge expect a bit of leeway!

[Oblomov17]

Of course. Doesn't everyone? Why wouldn't you?

[Trainspotting1984]

There isn't more cost. That's not how attractions work. They open every day and each day costs £x in staff, sundries, stock etc. It costs that whether 2 people come in or 500. They don't know how many customers will come in each day. A child being lied about is lost revenue, not increased cost.

[MyHairNeedsASnip]

I haven't lied yet, DD has been quite talkative since 2ish so I wouldn't have got away with it. Some of these prices are so high so I can see why people do it if it is the difference between having a day out or not. As an example cheapest tickets at Blackpool Zoo are 12.99 for adults and 9.99 for children aged between 3 and 15. It's a lot for a 3 year old.

[trilbydoll]

Our local country park charges £10 for over 3s. I can justify a nice midweek day out for £10 (with ice cream and train rides extra) but £20 is just too much so dd1 was under 3 for the whole summer. I wouldn't go at all if I paid for her too so I think the park is up financially.

Sadly dd2 is quite big so I don't think I'm going to manage to pass them both off as under 3 this year

Theme parks should definitely be by height. The enjoyment of the day is entirely based on it!

[Porpoiselife]

Yes I'd lie. I have 4 so if I can get one in for free I'd definately go for it. I'm normally very honest too but I figure, hell, we'll probably spend in the ice cream shop, gift shop, cafe so worth a shot. Days out are so damn expensive

[WyfOfBathe]

I wouldn't. Lying is the "little thing" which annoys me massively. I also wonder how many people who lie about things like this tell their DC not to lie.

A lot of bus drivers near me used to print out under 5s tickets for younger primary school children. Since September, the bus company now charge the child fare for all children - as far as I'm aware, this even includes babies in prams or slings (officially).

[Porpoiselife]

I'm taking a wild guess , but all those that say they wouldn't lie only have 1 child? Or their children are not yet at paying age? I might be wrong though, just a hunch.

[MyHairNeedsASnip]

I agree about the theme parks trilbydoll Blackpool Pleasure Beach advanced tickets are £20 for adults and £18 for up to 11 years if they want to go on the rides. DD is a tiny 6 and wants to go on everything but is far to small to go on, even accompanied, thank God for tesco club card vouchers!

[Butteredparsnip1ps]

I think I remember reading that people who lie are more intelligent. I must be top clever on that basis.

[harderandharder2breathe]

Don't know anyone who wouldn't do this unless their child was likely to pipe up and say "no mummy I'm three" or whatever age it is.

This is NOT why prices increase prices increase because running costs such as staff, feed, equipment, fuel etc increase. And because people will pay higher prices. Not because of a few two year olds pretending to be a few months younger than they are.

[MrsGuyOfGisbo]

I tool my DS to London Zoo as a treat on his 3rd birthday and discovered that he was payable from 3... I said to the entrance person that I should have brought him the day before when it would have been free. They were lovely, and let him in free.

[AYankinSpanx]

I'm taking a wild guess , but all those that say they wouldn't lie only have 1 child? Or their children are not yet at paying age? I might be wrong though, just a hunch

Nope, wrong here, sorry . 3 DC so far and two definitely at paying age. The youngest, depends where we're going!

[AlwaysBeBatman]

I don't think it's realistically an issue for anyone if the child is close to the cut off or small for their age (in a way that would restrict their use of the rides) and making a fuss about that would be a bit ridiculous.

On the other hand my own DM used to put myself and my brother in the boot of the car to drive into the safari park EVERY TIME from toddler through to 11 years old. That was embarrassingly tightfisted...