Children having their own seat on a packed train.

[user1493559472]

I am on a packed train. A child who is about 3 years old is sat in their own seat and not on the parents lap, would you ask to sit down and the child sits on parents lap? People were standing.
Thank you

Because they were there first...

To understand that you're more important than the parent and the child? Why exactly?

Yes I would. I cannot stand for a long time journey without becoming very uncomfortable and, certainly, when my own children were that age, I would have and did put the child on my lap in those circumstances. For those saying that the adult is steadier on their feet, this is true but nobody is expecting a young child to stand; simply to sit on their mother's lap while allowing an adult, who has probably paid a fortune for their fare, to sit down. The sense of entitlement by so many on here is breathtaking. What are you teaching your children? That their needs trump everyone else's and that it is ok to be selfish? Several years ago, l was boarding a very crowded train. The one person who came to my aid was a lovely Kurdish gentleman, who asked his son, who was about ten, to stand up for me. He then made sure his son was safe by putting his arms round him. It's called common decency and good manners.

You sit your 11 year old on your lap? 😂

A bag is not equal to a human being.

My choice to put a bag on my lap rather than have someone stand?
I don't get your point.
I also don't get why you say 'HTH'.
Never mind.

So, you putting your comfort above theirs is 'safety and good manners'? Howso?

No, your choice how you behave.
Others make their choices how to behave.
HTH

In terms of it having rights, no. But the conversation was about the comfort or discomfort of having something/a child on your lap.

I don't think they are in the minority

If you travel by train as a family regularly you will almost certainly have a Friends and Family Railcard which requires you to book tickets for all children including under 5s. It is almost always cheaper to do that than pay full price even if your child is free

Also.. no one says that over 60s on buses shouldn't sit down because they haven't paid

sadly I think this is a generational thing .I was brought up to give my seat to an adult and either stand or sit on my parents knee. Most children travel free and imo it shows bad parenting nowadays

Does you bag wriggle and squirm? Does it occasionally accidentally elbow you in the ribs? Does it try to get down and express discomfort? If so, that bag should not be on a train or anywhere else and you need a good exorcist.

Absolutely incorrect. An able bodied adult isn't more important than a child.

Nah. I used to do this too. I’m not having a kid on my lap the whole damn way.

OP - it’s a busy train. You’ll just have to be faster in the future.

Because children under school age are small enough to sit on a parent's lap. If you read my full post, you will see that I did exactly this on many occasions while on public transport. In any case, a child is probably safer sitting on a lap with arms round them than loose on a seat that is too big for them.

I wouldn't ask but I'd be a bit annoyed cos I always put my children on my lap on busy public transport

Little kids don’t know how to stand safely on trains and woukd
be knocked over. Mum would end up carding him and breaking her back while holding on with one hand. Child got there first. If you need a seat ask someone in the priority seats to give it up for you.
would you sit on your boyfriends lap to make space for other people?

Over 60s can’t sit on their parents laps!

Yes a child should be on a lap.

In many cases they're not, plus it's not just about being small. You're not more important than 2 other people. Get a grip.

How do you know the adult was able bodied? You can't know unless they actually tell you

My disabilities aren't obvious but I can't stand on moving public transport safely

How selfish. Very often the person has boarded an already full train at a later stop. Presumably you chose to have a child in the first place which means you are responsible for them at all times. This includes putting up with a squirming child on your lap if necessary.

Because they got there first

No but they can stand.

If not paying means no seat, which various posters are claiming

Why when they have a seat?