Not to give up my seat, I am 54, for a child, about 6 yrs old, on the underground?

[losmn]

Sitting on a very busy underground train. 2 ladies and 2 children get on. One child, under 2, in push chair and 'mum' holding second child, 6 ish. Mum then walks in between seats with 6 yr old and asks if someone can please give up seat for her child. Mother nor child seem distressed or unable to stand. Lady in her 60s ish gets up for child, at next stop passenger adjacent to child and lady in her 60s gets off the train so mum and child seat together. No issues whatsoever. In fact are now chatting away happily ??? Comments please.

The child could, and should have sat on hius mum's lap.

Not unreasonable as she also had the pram to keep hold of, if there were just the two of them they wouldn't need a seat as she could hold the child I was once on a bus which crashed with small DC standing and they got injured quite badly as they flew forward unable to stop themselves and hit a rail and the pole.

what confuses me about this is that I don't recall an epidemic of children falling over and being injured when they had to hold on to a handrail. I grew up in London and am mystified by this "giving up a seat for a child". Toddler, yes, depends on size of child I guess.

We just used to hold the handrail. I know some of the newer tube trains on the Circle etc can be a bit weird but most of the Tube carriages still have all the handrails from floor to ceiling don't they?

Well the problem is that no one has any idea whthere there is or there isn’t any disabilities.
Yes some people will ask for a seat because of disability/I’ll heath and they won’t look disabled (eg someone with ME for example).
But there are also plenty of very entitled people who will think nothing of asking people to move for them even though they could easily stand themselves!

Really gives me the rage when children aren't sitting on their mother's knees - especially in circumstances like this when someone has been good enough to give them a seat.

On the buses and elderly people standing while kids have their own seats. That's definitely the wrong way round. Same for trains or any other public transport.

PS just to be clear, I tend to stand on the Tube because I take the view that you never know who has a disability or who just might need the seat for any reason at all. But giving up seats for children seems to be new and is weird unless they have some kind of disability.

if asked, I'd probably go with that and give up the seat, but in general I don't get "giving up seats for children". At what age/size of child would you stop?!

I would probably say she was worried the child may fall over although I read bus at first (ours seem to think they are taking part in the grand prix) train not so much.

Wouldn't bother me to give up a seat for a child, I have similar aged ones myself. Like others however I was always raised to stand up and give my seat to those older than myself by my parents as a child. I still do if I see elderly people on packed public transport.

but most of the Tube carriages still have all the handrails from floor to ceiling don't they?

They do - but the floor to ceiling ones or the ones right by the door are the only ones she can reach. The floor to ceiling ones are in the middle of the carriage and, of the train is busy, people don't notice a child and she can get squashed or bashed with bags. The ones near the door aren't great as she can get pushed off by people trying to get off at a station and I cause a bit of an obstruction if I stand over her to prevent this. I don't think the problem is just falling over. I think the tube must be quite scary if you're small and it's busy.

I would have expected the child to sit in his mum knees tbh.
And I certainly would not expect the mum to ask around and clearly expect someone to move for him.
First because he was able to stand do a while. But also because most of the time, you have people going in and out so it was highly likely that a space would become free at the next stop (as it did).

why couldnt oldr kid sit on mums lap-thats what i always did as a kid on the tube/bus

'If you are able bodied (and not elderly, pregnant, etc) and sitting in a priority seat, you MUST give up that seat if someone asks even if their need for it is not immediately apparent.'

This is not really what the thread is about but really?! So the person now made to stand can then ask the seated person to give up the seat and they can keep swapping seats ad infinitum?! Surely, people with hidden disabilities should explain why they need the seat or at least state politely that they find it difficult to stand. Otherwise you have to assume everyone is honourable and honest which, in today's world, is just not true.

I used to have to give up my seat as a six year old! Strict mother...

I don’t either is good, an adult or a six year old are perfectly fine to stand.

Let them stand. Elders and pregnant women sit down

No, I wouldn't give up my seat for any child past the age of about 4, unless there were additional needs involved.

I remember many years ago when I was 22 I was offered a seat by a boy of around 12. It did make me feel rather old, but I felt obliged to take it because he was so very polite.

That was probably my DS , I always insisted he stood for adults - he is 16 now and always stands up for anyone older than himself - I wouldn't stand up for a 6 year old, unless they were clearly struggling.

I was mortified the other day when a personal with a visable disability asked someone to stand to allow her to sit down, the seat was not labelled a 'priority' seat and the middle aged man refused to get up - nearly everyone else in the carriage leapt up to offer her their seat.

My 7 year old has arthritis - looks fit and reasonably healthy (apart from pallor and panda eyes from her other health issues). She is in a whole heap of pain, but is very stoic and wouldn't necessarily present "distressed" unless it was in a bad flare up. She lacks the physical agility or strength to respond to transport movements effectively and has little hand strength to hold on tightly. I always prioritise her sitting before me, but to bystanders, it probably looks like terrible pandering.

I would give up my seat for a small child, or an old person. On a crammed London tube it’s not nice for little kids to be pressed up against people they don’t know and as they’re small the can have their face at bottom height with adults which isn’t nice for them!

I'm with you OP. I would stand for someone who appeared to be struggling (I know not all disabilities are visible but, as far as was apparent), or someone very elderly, but, as a child I would have stood for an adult and my dc would (still will now as teens).

And anyone watching kids on the roundabout in a playground can see that children of 6 are perfectly well able to hold on.

I wouldn't give up my seat for a child just because they're a child, even if I were able bodied.

No. Kids can stand/as can an adult - not being ageist!

I'd give up a seat for someone pregnant/old/disabled/looking in need

By the way 54 isn’t old though! You’re not old until your into your 70s!