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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to lie about my child's age?

170 replies

merrybloominchristmas · 10/02/2019 13:31

am looking at theatre website. i want to buy tickets to take my 15 year old son to see a shakespeare play tthat he is doing for GCSE.

Tickets for under 16s are 25 pound.
tickets for 16-25 year olds are 5 pound.

wtf?

would it be unreasonable to buy him a 16-25 ticket and lie?
he's nearly 16 anyway!

OP posts:
donkeyshrekmom · 11/02/2019 18:17

Please please please ask to discuss further with the theatre and explain the situation and how frustrating it is. If necessary ask to speak to someone in the management, or ask who to address an email to. Not complaining but explaining.

The 16-25 tickets as explained by PPs will be limited in number and subject to T&cs and the cost will be underwritten by a grant or sponsorship specifically for that purpose.

But it's so so so important to encourage all ages into the theatre as they are tomorrow's audiences, sponsors, actors, writers and theatre companies are aware of this, or should be! if they have proof of the need to make it affordable for families them there's more chance of other offers being made available.

I work in the arts and am always stressing to the people who set ticket prices the importance of making it as affordable as possible, particularly to families.

donkeyshrekmom · 11/02/2019 19:11

Ah bugger I didn't RTWT. Glad you got the cheaper ticket. Enjoy!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 11/02/2019 19:14

but merrybloominzoothief before we all condone the blatant skullduggery, we have to know what play it it.

It has to be worth nearly losing your good name for-ever Grin

helenwatermelon · 11/02/2019 19:25

The trouble with lying is you are saying that it's ok for you to lie under these circumstances, of which you are the judge. Children watch and learn and, if it's ok for you to lie when you decide to, then obviously it's ok for them to lie when they decide to. You might think that because they're only 2 or 3 that they aren't aware, even though you say how clever they are the rest of the time. They do know. And they
will lie to you, because you have shown them that it's ok, and then you won't like it, and you'll say "How could you lie to me?" and they won't understand, because you taught them to lie, and that will contribute to the teenage disrespect of your position.

CJsGoldfish · 11/02/2019 19:30

This is hilarious.... You are basically calling yourself out as an entitled, blameless, shameless, selfish thief. At least you are honest (to us if not the charity you stole from). Well done

I shudder to think what the children of these liars will be like in 10, 15 yrs. No way would the children NOT pick up on the entitled grabby and cheating attitude.

Not the kind of role model I chose to be, that's for sure.

Bignosenobum · 11/02/2019 19:39

Actually adults are at it too. I know someone who used a uni card that ran out years ago, to get a student discount in numerous places. Not to mention pretending to "clip" a clipper card.

Bignosenobum · 11/02/2019 19:44

or the evil kid who used the school bus pass even when it had run out, back in the old days when bus companies participated in the bus pass scheme. Or the one with the big nose, whi at 16, pretended to be 15 so she could pay the child fare of 10p on the bus. The bus that took her to meet her boyfriend for a pub night out back in the day.

OwlBeThere · 11/02/2019 20:08

This is hilarious.... You are basically calling yourself out as an entitled, blameless, shameless, selfish thief. At least you are honest (to us if not the charity you stole from). Well done

I shudder to think what the children of these liars will be like in 10, 15 yrs. No way would the children NOT pick up on the entitled grabby and cheating attitude

well, firstly the place in question is a business, not a charity. a business that is booming in the decade since this particular occasion happened. so no animals were harmed by my seflishness. and secondly, my kids are awesome, neither grabby nor liars, or anything else bad, despite the time their mother lied once about one of their ages. an event they are entirely oblivious too. and since i don't go round beating up old ladies or stealing pic and mix or anything, it's all good.

the utter hysteria is hilarious.

sheep19 · 11/02/2019 20:09

Some of the comments on here have really made me laugh out loud!

Anyway, i am glad you’ve bought tickets and hopefully bought your DS the cheaper ticket. Me & DH took my DSis to the theatre last year. It was for her 30th birthday but tickets for under 25s were less than half the price. I just told her to say that she was 24. Nobody ever asked and i could have actually got away with it myself 😂

jarhead123 · 11/02/2019 20:16

@WinterfellWench.

Only on Mumsnet you'd find people say of course they'd pay double to get into the zoo when little jonny turned 3 yesterday as it's "the right thing to do" Bollocks to that.

sheep19 · 11/02/2019 20:19

@jarhead123

Agreed, nobody would do that 😂

beansontoastfortea · 11/02/2019 20:27

This thread is the funniest

NotBeforeCoffee · 11/02/2019 20:50

If you can afford to spend £40 in the gift shop then you could have afforded the entry fee.
You should have forgone the self indulgent spending and been honest at the gates.

What terrible lessons people are teaching their kids. Lie to get what you want, fuck everyone else, they are stupid for being honest

OlennasWimple · 11/02/2019 21:03

The philosopher Aldo Leopold said "Ethical behaviour is doing the right thing when no one else is watching—even when doing the wrong thing is legal"

I'd say it's also doing the right thing even when you are likely to get away with doing the wrong thing, like squishing a toddler into a pram to pretend that they are a baby still

kierenthecommunity · 11/02/2019 21:46

Only on Mumsnet you'd find people say of course they'd pay double to get into the zoo when little jonny turned 3 yesterday as it's "the right thing to do" Bollocks to that

I actually took little master community to Yorkshire Wildlife Park on the day after his third birthday and lied about his age. If they staggered the prices a bit so pre-schoolers paid a fiver or something I may have been less inclined to fib. But eighteeen quid for the sake of 24 hours, meh

And I feel absolutely zero guilt too Wink

Yb23487643 · 11/02/2019 21:47

If the zoo gets 1 paying adult & 1 paying child it’s better than 0 of either. Zoo hardly turns ppl away when it’s full cos it never is!

Yb23487643 · 11/02/2019 21:49

People who work there are allowed to let family & friends in for free. Mums etc seems more fussed than the zoo lol!

OlennasWimple · 11/02/2019 21:58

People who work there are allowed to let family & friends in for free. Mums etc seems more fussed than the zoo lol!

People who work in Tesco are also allowed to get a discount on their shopping and certain family members can get a discount too. Doesn't mean that anyone can get a discount

Bignosenobum · 11/02/2019 22:03

okay okay litmus test. Did anyone drink alcohol as an underage person? or smoked or had sex. Or just about everyone perfect. I have a friend who used her son's discount card from his works, to get 40p off a bottle of plonk. She is married to a doctor.

emzw12 · 11/02/2019 22:07

There's som government initiative at the moment to get young people going to the theatre and opera for a fiver - might be that.

Bignosenobum · 11/02/2019 22:16

I have 4 kids all adults. Three of them gained degrees and masters at uni. All of them are well balanced, happy fulfillwd adults. They are also honest. But there are ludicrous situtions that fly in the face of common sense.
Also I love this thread.
However, hunging a 4 year old in a pram and a toddler in a baby sling is fucking dead funny. Harmless and doesn't make her a rampaging thief. Ffs geta grip. ps I also was sold single cigs when a kid, by newsagents. Was 10 years old. So lighten up. I believe in rules and am law abiding.
Ps ps OP.didn't your kids legs not dangle over the edge of the pram?

I was also wondering...has anyone ever bought something from a supermarket/diy store and got home to discover an extra item, not paid for? what did you do?

Bignosenobum · 11/02/2019 22:19

OwlBeThere
You are awesome Grin

Bignosenobum · 11/02/2019 22:29

Also, I never took my kids to the zoo. It was too far away and we were incredibly poor. I mean we couldn't afford a phone or new clothes . It was awful. When pregnant with dd2 and 3 my gp said I could be sterilised if I wished. Clearly believing I was out of control. Within 3 years my husband died and when in my late twenties and financially secure had ds 4. Sometimes you behave badly but doesn't make you a serial liar.

PrickWhittington · 11/02/2019 22:30

Oh dear God - are some of these replies serious? Hmm

I’m pretty sure most over priced attractions aren’t about to go bust because of a few people pretending a child is a year or so younger. And that their children won’t grow up with no morals because of it. The hyperbole on here is laughable!

How about saving your wrath for some of the CEO’s of these ‘charities’ being paid ridiculous, over inflated salaries. Not a few (quite possibly cash strapped) parents trying to save a few quid. Pathetic.

JocastaElastic · 11/02/2019 23:10

Yes, of course YABU. Lying about your son’s age to get a cheaper ticket to the theatre is fraud.