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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you lie about kids ages for free entry?

368 replies

coffeeforone · 15/05/2018 15:18

My DS turned two last weekend. We bought advance tickets for an adventure farm on Saturday. Going along with a friend who has a 4 year old and a DD who is 3 months older than DS.

It's free for under 2's and £11 for everyone else. I paid online and bought us all tickets including my DS and her DD, and let my friend know. She is now furious with me as I have apparently wasted £22 by paying for my DS and her DD. She says its normal not to pay for about a year after the cut off, and was shocked that I paid. TBH it didn't cross my mind when booking, but thinking about it they would never know. WIBU?

OP posts:
fatfeckingmavis · 16/05/2018 18:33

It's very easy to feel morally superior and do the right thing when you are well off. I probably wouldn't bother fibbing now as my circumstances are very different but there are times I've done this as if not we wouldn't have been able to take my child to things. I'm not going to lose sleep over places like Legoland charging her the same price as an adult. This topic is always a classic example of mumsnet being a very black and white place/ rules cannot be broken. I don't know anyone who would consider reporting 'friends' for benefit fraud either- something which seems to be a passion of some on here.

blaaake · 16/05/2018 18:34

I could afford to pay full price but just love a bargain !

GabsAlot · 16/05/2018 18:36

i dont blame people really prices are extortinate

when i was 18 i still used to get a child fare-in thise days u didnt have to prove much i looked about 15 noone questioned me-this was on london underground and buses

didnt really get quesitoned till i was 21

jessebuni · 16/05/2018 18:36

I have but only twice that I can recall. Once was two days after my DDs birthday that put her over the age and once was by about 2 months because we couldn’t afford to go otherwise and she still wasn’t big enough to go on any of the rides so I didn’t want to pay £25 for her ticket for her not to be able to do anything. So we popped her in the pushchair and there she stayed for most of the day while older DS and DH went on the rides. It’s not something I would do for ages past the cut off though or on a regular basis. Deliberately doing it for a year or so after the cut off seems cheeky and pushing it to me.

WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam · 16/05/2018 18:37

It's very easy to feel morally superior and do the right thing when you are well off.

I don't think that's fair. That's basically implying that if you're skint it's fine for you to lie or cheat to get what you want. It really, really isn't. For survival, sure (steal a loaf of bread if it's the only way you're going to be able to eat), but to enter a bloody theme park for the day?

Plus from the cross section of people I know, the more well off are just as likely to commit acts like these, being tight is sometimes a trait that's allowed them to make the most of their circumstances and become wealthy in the first place.

I know many skint working class people (and used to be one, the skint bit, still working class obviously!) who are extremely honest and would be pretty offended at the suggestion that their financial circumstances means they can lie.

Figgygal · 16/05/2018 18:40

Nope never done it but my boys gave birth been huge monsters and would t have gotten away with it even if wanted to

fatfeckingmavis · 16/05/2018 18:40

I used to be one myself walking! Grin that's why I feel able to comment. The working class but still stands! 😂I was very honest and still am but yes I've lied about ages to get into Legoland/ flamingo land etc- that's why we were able to afford to go at the time. I can't say I've lost sleep over it as the years have passed.

Abbylee · 16/05/2018 18:41

I think about rules and decide which ones i follow. Not laws. Rules.

Who makes rules? People. Some rules are stupid and have no consequence of broken. Some save lives. It depends.

I do not steal, cheat or lie but I have parked in pregnancy parking spot when I was recovering from serious illness and two toddlers in tow. I have used men's bathroom and I never lied about dc age but ordered off children's menu no matter their age without a problem.

Some people follow all rules.
Some people follow some rules.
Some people make rules.

MiggeldyHiggins · 16/05/2018 18:45

Laws too though. I regularly and purposefully break a law, that carries a prison sentence of 14 years. Its a bad, immoral, unjust law that hurts innocent people and I see it as a moral duty to break it and help other people break it.
Some laws are bad, some rules are bad, some are meaningless, some I just don't give a shit about either way.
Morality is not about rules or laws.

Sparklyglitter · 16/05/2018 18:48

I do at the Odeon as he is an older one in his year so could technically still be 12 - and think it’s ridiculous to be charging them more at a young age! Wouldn’t for annual passes although would have thought you have to show ID for those anyway xx

lanbury · 16/05/2018 18:52

It would be tempting if mine were little in size but I struggle to get him in when I'm telling the truth! The youngest is nine and I have to take his passport as he's very tall and nobody believes he's under 12. It's actually been a problem as he's been too tall for the age apropriate "gentle" rides on day outs too. I'm surprised they don't ask for proof of age generally.

feral · 16/05/2018 18:59

I've just been pondering whether to buy 5yo a ticket for a train journey as head never know he was 5 to look at... but as he often proudly tells folk he's 5 I wouldn't risk it!

And would feel horribly guilty anyway!

Passenger42 · 16/05/2018 19:01

Yes I did it a lot as a kid. I also nicked money out my mums purse and pretended to be 18 to get served in pubs and bought fags at 12! I'm big into fraud me!! Lol

ton181 · 16/05/2018 19:05

Yep! Although my little one tried to correct me a few times.....

strawberrypenguin · 16/05/2018 19:13

Yep - I have done and probably will again.

snewname · 16/05/2018 19:17

miggeldy Please tell. i'm intrigued as to which law?

PeachyPeachTrees · 16/05/2018 19:17

I took my 2 DCs to Chessington World of Adventures and it was £50 each. I had a Kelloggs voucher to get 1 in free. My youngest was a few months over the limit to get in free. He was short and under 90cm, so limited on what he could do. So I didn't pay for him as I couldn't afford £100 entry and the alternative would have been to not go.

GabsAlot · 16/05/2018 19:39

ooh miggledy intrigued

Myotherusernameisbest · 16/05/2018 20:21

Everyone I know does this if their child still looks that age.

Teateaandmoretea · 16/05/2018 20:29

I've just been pondering whether to buy 5yo a ticket for a train journey as head never know he was 5 to look at... but as he often proudly tells folk he's 5 I wouldn't risk it!

From here to London it is actually cheaper if you pay for the child Confused.

MiggeldyHiggins · 16/05/2018 20:41

its huge news in at the moment in my country

3out · 16/05/2018 20:41

I wouldn’t lie about the kids ages, but I don’t lie about anything really, I just can’t do it!

Hellsbells35 · 16/05/2018 22:10

Never crossed my mind not to lie. I always say they are younger. Foolish not to really.

higgyyellow · 16/05/2018 22:27

So I didn't pay for him as I couldn't afford £100 entry and the alternative would have been to not go.

Well that's life. You find things to do that are affordable. You don't lie and cheat and steal to take what you want anyway Hmm

squeekums · 16/05/2018 22:31

Ive done it and id do it again.
I feel no shame. I know many people who do it too and feel no shame, its more a challange actually.
I wont pay more if i can get away with it. I liken it to if i were in a shop and an item scanned lower than shelf price, i wouldnt tell them, not my problem if they dont notice