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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To lie about his age for free admission?

592 replies

WaitForCake · 16/07/2020 10:29

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

OP posts:
Happydinosaur53 · 16/07/2020 11:10

I'm loving some of the replies. Claiming that parents who have done this are bringing their children up to be criminals. Mumsnet is crazy.

coffeechocolatecoffee · 16/07/2020 11:10

You will only find the people who say not to do it on Mumsnet!

Saying that, I strongly agree with pp who said about theme parks charging as her height. The charge then reflects the additional facilities available to the child which makes it justifiable plus you can't cheat it

BarbaraofSeville · 16/07/2020 11:10

@BiggerBoat1

Enough people do that sort of thing to justify supermarkets putting cameras on the self scanning tills so you know that they know if you've scanned things properly.

The introduction of self scanning tills coincided with increased sales of bananas, potatoes, carrots and onions and a corresponding reduction in more expensive loose fruit and veg.

GinWithASplashOfTonic · 16/07/2020 11:11

Yanbu

Growing up there there was quite often a cut off of 15 from child to adult admission prices. I was "15" until I was at least 17.

ivfdreaming · 16/07/2020 11:11

YABU

money is tight for you and it certainly will be tight for the attraction you are visiting - they also have staff to pay and overheads.

An adult price for a 3yr old is pretty steep usually they have an under 15s at least price - I'd choose a different attraction

Original poster
WaitForCake · 16/07/2020 11:12

@coffeechocolatecoffee

You will only find the people who say not to do it on Mumsnet!

Saying that, I strongly agree with pp who said about theme parks charging as her height. The charge then reflects the additional facilities available to the child which makes it justifiable plus you can't cheat it

Yes, I agree with the height aspect.

DS is tiny (7th percentile) so if I take him somewhere like that and have to pay by age instead of height, he wouldn't be able to access most of the attractions anyway.

OP posts:
Nonotthisagain · 16/07/2020 11:12

Omg mumsnet is hilarious sometimes! Every mum I know has done the 'if they ask you're two' through gritted teeth at some point let alone the day AFTER their birthday.

The reality is you'll ask for one adult and one child, pay and go in. I can't remember an attraction ever asking the child how old they are!! 🤣🤣

Have a great day out OP and don't worry about it.

PinotLover · 16/07/2020 11:13

In my experience (Thomas Land, mainly) the teenagers/young adults that are working in the booths/kiosk where you buy the tickets, don't care, unless you're trying to smuggle a child in who looks 6. my older two children were always on the 99th centile, so I would take a copy of their passports to prove I DIDN'T have to pay for them Smile

littlefireseverywhere · 16/07/2020 11:14

We used to do this when ours were little, within a few months of their birthdays. Agree with the strapping him tightly into his buggy and giving him something to eat at the ticket booth!

Also if he's a really tall 3 forget it!

Tfoot75 · 16/07/2020 11:15

It's fine op but it was a mistake to ask on here I think! If the attraction cared about the lost revenue they'd change it to height.

Is it a theme park, or somewhere else? I've literally never been asked the age of my youngest dd who didn't have a pass that the rest of us had last year.

If you order the tickets online before he even turns 3, it's not even relevant as he'll when you order. I wouldn't even give this a second thought.

newphoneswhodis · 16/07/2020 11:15

I probably would in the past but in these times lots of business are really struggling to make money. They may have limited numbers allowed due to social distancing so depending on what attraction it was would sway me. If it's something that may be close to having to shut down and I want to keep I'd probably pay.

emmathedilemma · 16/07/2020 11:15

I'm sure people do this all the time! I got on the bus with my friend and her kids one day as her youngest announced "am I 4 or 5 today mum?" :)

Original poster
WaitForCake · 16/07/2020 11:16

If I could go one day earlier they would get 1 paying adult.
If I go on the day they get 0 paying adults.

Seems strange to make the 'they are a business and need to make money' argument when actually the difference of one day means they would lose the revenue rather than gain anything.

I actually wouldn't mind if he was charged reasonable, but a full adult ticket is ridiculous. I will remember the day and the nice time we have together. DS won't remember it in the long term.

OP posts:
Happydinosaur53 · 16/07/2020 11:17

I agree with PP about paying by height. I have a small 3 year old so I would have to pay the price for a 3 year but they wouldn't be able to access some of the attractions due to height restrictions. Much fairer to charge by height.

sweetheartyparty · 16/07/2020 11:18

I've done it before and don't feel in the slight bit guilty about it. You'll be spending money there so maybe just use what you save in the gift shop

BiggerBoat1 · 16/07/2020 11:20

The OP is clearly going to do it anyway and only wanted to hear from the "We've all done it, have a good time" brigade.

Shame.

Inkpaperstars · 16/07/2020 11:20

Of course YANBU. Also technically he will not be three, given the time of day issue.

Grandmi · 16/07/2020 11:20

I did this and it was the day after my sons birthday and he did pipe up when I was getting the tickets that he is three not two !! The sales lady luckily smiled and said..your mummy must have forgotten , so we will pretend you are two !!!

Duchessofealing · 16/07/2020 11:20

I wouldn’t lie but then I wouldn’t go if I couldn’t afford it. I’ve also had staff selling tickets telling me my child is younger than I’ve said, and I’ve also had a stressful trip to Peppa Pig world and the 1m metal bar to walk under with a child of 99cm Grin. Fundamentally it doesn’t matter what anyone here says, or what they would do. If you feel ok doing it then do it, no one has any way of proving he’s 3 if you say he’s 2, the only worry is if you’d feel guilty and it spoil your day.

IAmFourEels · 16/07/2020 11:21

Oh for goodness' sake.

The only people who think YABU are those who see morals in black and white. If you're a shades-of-grey type person, it's a complete non-issue.

As if a three-year-old having a special treat on their birthday is less important than toeing the line of a business' arbitrary threshold.

Also, the business's financial strategy is not going to be built on the foundation of every 3-year-old's parent being honest about their age, which would be very bad business sense. It will be built on the expectation that most 3-year-olds will get through, but from 4+ they'll be more certain to get the fee.

dontdisturbmenow · 16/07/2020 11:21

Nearly everybody does this and I personally don't judge them
No, not everybody does this and I'm pretty certain none of my friends and family would.

Funny how when one start a thread about a friend/neighbour lying for the purpose of claiming benefits every one shouts that fraud is very low. Going by this thread, it seems clear that people are very happy to lie to get things for free they should be paying for.

I expect posts to say it's not the same. Its exactly the same. You lie to gain something you are not entitled to. Exactly the same.

Really disgusting thread on a forum that preaches about always doing what's right by our kids, but hey, teaching them to lie to get free admission to spark, that's ok!

Inkpaperstars · 16/07/2020 11:21

And yes, I agree the attraction would rather have a full price adult ticket and a child ticket than nothing at this point.

BobFleming · 16/07/2020 11:22

Such sanctimony on here.

We f you can’t afford to pay the higher ticket price, just book him as an under 3. It’s not like you’re asking him to lie.

ShouldWeChangeTheBulb · 16/07/2020 11:22

I wouldn’t lie. I think it’s morally wrong and a bad example to set your son.

Pinkyyy · 16/07/2020 11:23

I refuse to believe that anyone would pay for him. They just wouldn't. People talk absolute nonsense on this site, it's laughable.