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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:
Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 15/05/2018 18:30

I'm amazed at how people can justify dishonesty and theft.

Fruitcorner123 · 15/05/2018 18:31

specialsubject
you're eight you sound like an excellent role model. Where do I sign up for the specialsubject school of parenting?

Fruitcorner123 · 15/05/2018 18:32

right not eight!!!

Racecardriver · 15/05/2018 18:32

Of course not. In all fairness I wouldn't get away with it. My children are too big. I had flight attendants Queniborough whether my one year old wasn't over two. I had to point out that I was there when he read born so I would know.

Happinesss · 15/05/2018 18:35

I wouldn’t of paid for either if the 2 year olds, I would if said they were younger.

I would if paid for the 4 year old.

And yes I have done it.

BigPinkBall · 15/05/2018 18:37

To be fair we would never have gone to the soft play if we’d had to pay the over 12 month price, as it is we went on a Wednesday morning when it was practically empty, 4 mums buying lunch and cups of coffee for which we probably spent around £40-£50?while our 13 month olds sat on the equipment, it may have been technically wrong but I’m sure they would rather have the money we spent on food than have us go to a local cafe instead, and there was no wear and tear to their equipment by our kids so I can’t feel too bad about it.

myfriendbob · 15/05/2018 18:39

And I would have a hard time explaining why lying is bad but it's ok on this occasion

Thats something you have to teach children anyway, so you might as well get on with it. Nobody doesn't lie. Kids need to be taught the skill.

Bumpitybumper · 15/05/2018 18:40

Nope would never lie about ages to gain free admission as I see it as a form of theft. If I don't want to pay the money required to enter an attraction then I won't go, but I don't think it's fair on the people that own the attraction and who have to pay all the staff etc to effectively defraud them. For me it would taint the whole thing anyway and I would worry about the example I was setting for my kids.

1981m · 15/05/2018 18:41

I do, lots of them are far too expensive. Can only really do it with dd now as Ds is 5 and most are only cheaper younger than 2/3 anyway

lynmilne65 · 15/05/2018 18:56

I lied on the bus once Blush

BoxsetsAndPopcorn · 15/05/2018 19:01

No I wouldn't but it's common on MN. For me, it's amounts to theft as it's stealing from the company by not paying for something that requires payment.

Thehogfather · 15/05/2018 19:06

No, but I've been accused of it plenty of times. Dd has always been very tall, so people always assumed she was older than she is. You'd think being accompanied by a 6' mother would be ample evidence as to why she looked too big to be under 2/5/11/16 etc but apparently not.

Ansumpasty · 15/05/2018 19:09

Of course. DS’s age froze in time for a few years Grin Little tip, go to the teenage (preferably male) staff member when getting tickets. Most seem to not have a clue in regards to guessing a child’s age.

Mirrorwriting · 15/05/2018 19:11

I’m not going to teach my child to be a thief. Would I show her how to hide things in my jacket in the supermarket. I’m sure shoplifters justify it to themselves ‘it’s a victimless crime! I’m only stealing from The Man!’ Any crime or bad behaviour can be ‘justified’

I only hit her because she was insulting me; I don’t pay child support because she will spend it on makeup; I only became a murderer because they were offering me money that would pay for dear old mum’s operation. And and and.

The world is the way it is because parents pass down standards they think are acceptable.

specialsubject · 15/05/2018 19:13

oh, for a like button for mirrorwriting for that.

MrsJonesAndMe · 15/05/2018 19:14

No

TheKitchenWitch · 15/05/2018 19:15

I must be super naive, it has never been occurred to me to do this. I am basically an honest person.
I don’t cheat at board games either.

IllHaveALargeGlassOfRed · 15/05/2018 19:21

Friends of ours would stop a few hundred yards away from the local safari park, put the kids in the boot, and only pay for the adults to get in! Park up and get the kids out the boot to go round the park!

Mirrorwriting · 15/05/2018 19:21

This thread makes me really sad.

I’m always losing out due to choosing to be honest. However I prefer a clean conscience to material advantage. Whenever you lie and cheat you do harm to yourself or others (usually both) and the world is so awful as it is, why add to that.

VioletCharlotte · 15/05/2018 19:23

I've always done this and doesn't make me feel in the least bit guilty. Most of these places charge extortionate entry prices, if they made it more affordable for families then people wouldn't need to lie!

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 15/05/2018 19:24

No, because I'd blush! Blush

LockedOutOfMN · 15/05/2018 19:25

We live abroad so the children show their national identity cards for things like discounts at museums or theme parks or on public transport.

RexManning · 15/05/2018 19:27

Most of these places charge extortionate entry prices, if they made it more affordable for families then people wouldn't need to lie!

And if most people were honest, businesses wouldn't build the cost of assuming that everyone is on the make into their margins.

See how it goes both ways?

Happinesss · 15/05/2018 19:27

Mirrorwriting my conscience is totally clear 😂

VioletCharlotte · 15/05/2018 19:31

Rexmanning
I really don't think that is true. Places will charge as much as they can possibly get away with.