To lie about his age for free admission?

[WaitForCake]

It's DS's 3rd birthday in a couple of weeks. I'm taking him to an attraction.

It's free for under 3s, but adult price at 3 upwards. Money is tight, but after a tough few months between lockdown and his DF moving out after our split, I want to do something nice for him.
As there is no inherent difference in what he'll get from the experience the day before his birthday and on the day of his birthday, WIBU to just buy him a 2 year old ticket?

I can't take him the day earlier due to work (I did consider this already).

YANBU - get the 2 year old ticket
YABU - pay the adult price for him

Rides are based on height not age so insurance wouldn’t be an issue. The child isn’t banned from the park he just has to pay an extortionate amount from the day of his 3rd birthday.

It’s ridiculous since at 3 there are probably quite a lot of rides he wouldn’t be permitted to use anyway.

These places would probably attract less people who were prepared to do the same as the. OP if they weren’t out to rip people off in the first place...

And I still can’t believe there are people who think that taking your own food into the cinema is wrong and would never do it.

@WaitForCake have a wonderful day, enjoy every minute!

Make sure the ice cream has a flake and sprinkles!

@Moondust001 if you think this single event is what makes teenagers lie, you're in for a very big shock. Or are you one of those blinkered parents, who just says my little Tarquin wouldn't lie, he such an honest little poppet, whilst the teachers and other parents are rolling their eyes in disbelief.

Such sanctimony!

Such ridiculous replies! OP I completely agree, take your son and enjoy his birthday!
Also im still using my student discount card (Totum formally NUS) and I havent been a student since 2014 😂 Everytime its about to expire they email with a discount to a new one so I just keep buying another 3yr one

This thread reminds me of that episode of Only Fools and Horses when Rodney won a holiday in an under 15 painting competition.

'the money I save by not buying an adult ticket for him will be spent on an ice cream and a toy from the gift shop.'

So you could afford the full price ticket after all.

I think it's a shame so many people value a few pounds over their integrity and honesty.

Something I always admired about my own hard working, and often cash strapped parents growing up was that they did the right and honest thing regardless of whether anyone was looking. That basic value has meant far more to me and has stayed with me far longer than any memory of ice creams or toys.

If it's just a few days difference I'd lie.
Agree 3 is very young to pay a full price ticket.

I did this when I took my DS to an attraction for his 3rd birthday. Both DH and I were paying full price tickets and I was 7 months pregnant at the time so couldn’t go on anything anyway. That’s how I justified it to myself. I think if he’s just turned 3 and it’s a large company then say he’s 2.

Theft comments 🤣

It might be something but it isn't theft, look it up.

@Gobbycop it's Obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception or in modern language, fraud. So a crime, just like theft.

Something I always admired about my own hard working, and often cash strapped parents growing up was that they did the right and honest thing regardless of whether anyone was looking. That basic value has meant far more to me and has stayed with me far longer than any memory of ice creams or toys.

Nah, my DS will literally just be 3. He will far prefer an ice cream over my integrity.

At any rate, I would rather have a small bit of pocket money (and no - I won’t have the ‘full ticket price’ available. More like half of it) for him to have a treat than try to find the extra to blow it on a ticket when he can’t access anything designed for ‘3 and up’ due to his height. We will both have a really lovely day and that’s the thing that matters to me more right now.

@FrugiFan

You could get away with it but personally I dont think I could as I would feel too guilty about lying.

Our local theme park charges for children over 1m, rather than by age. It does make sense as they can actually check it whereas by age then it's easy to lie and I'm sure a lot of people do. Also you can go on nesrly all the rides when you're 1m so its s bit more logical whereas 3 is arbitrary really.

I wish all theme parks would do this. Drives me nuts that 3 yos get charged when they are too short for most rides.

All the people calling it theft presumably don't buy anything from or use Amazon, Facebook, Google, Apple, Starbucks or eBay then?

Because them avoiding paying what they should costs the British economy much, much more dearly.

Something I always admired about my own hard working, and often cash strapped parents growing up was that they did the right and honest thing regardless of whether anyone was looking. That basic value has meant far more to me and has stayed with me far longer than any memory of ice creams or toys

Same here. Very good role modelling

As if he’ll bloody remember 😂😂

I think tbh, unless it’s a park where a small child can go on every ride (like you can at sundown village) it should be by height

I went to wicksteed Park (RIP) when dd was 3 and there was so many rides she couldn’t go on. Even rides that were aimed at little kids.

If I had to pay for her age, I wouldn’t have been happy. Luckily it was done by height.

Still pain in the arse to say, “sorry darling you aren’t tall enough.” But at least I hadn’t paid for it.

As it were, she was under minimum height for paying so was a cheap free day out

I hope you have a great time when you go OP and that your DS has a brilliant birthday :)