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

On a packed train? There are other people sitting either side of you! Wow. I wouldn’t have wanted to have disturbed the people either side of me with the children wriggling and getting in Their space. No way my child at 2 would have sat still enough for me to hold both children and my bags.

Definitely my favourite comment today!

They Don't like children, don't like men, don't like the working class, don't like their own country... horrible old bags too be honest 😆

Depends, I would if it was an elderly/disabled person, obviously but more than likely would stand up and let my child sit. Depends how long the journey is too, we regularly do 5 hour train journeys and so therefore I do pay for my 3 year olds seat which is reserved as nobody wants their 3 year old sat on their lap for 5 hours 🤣

and some children simply aren't capable of it and are much safer sat in their own seat.

Some people seem to be forgetting that children can have hidden disabilities and/or mobility issues too.

Expecting someone else's seat is entitlement.

What sort of train are people travelling in that they can fit a child or two standing in front of them? All the trains I have been on recently only have a few inches between my knees and the seat in front. Either that or my knees are under a table and I a trying not to play footsies with the passenger opposite.

No need to be ageist, thanks all the same.

Agree. I think if it’s practical then children can sit on a lap but I wouldn’t judge someone who didn’t do it. My view is that if a child is quiet and happy in the seat, that is far better for everyone else that they remain quiet and happy. Having 2 wriggly children getting in other people’s space to give an able bodied adult the seat seems just incredibly impractical. I’d be annoyed as a passenger in a packed train if a previously happy child had to move and kicked off making noice because of this.

@BananaPeels and @Kirbert2, any bags were at my feet and my oldest is autistic and went to a special school when he was older. Autism was not nearly as well known in the nineties. We managed fine.

A child under 5 sitting on your lap on a train?
Have you actually been on a train?
That could be a very tight squeeze if someone is either side of you or you are at a table..
I would much prefer a 3 year old child sit down on a seat and be safe, rather than to stand potentially getting knocked over / trodden on.
Regardless if they have paid or not.
You standing is unlikely to cause you an injury like a small child may get

On a seat as, in this case, there is clearly no other reasonable option.

Also, I did not allow them to get in anyone else's space. If you chat to them/show them things outside the window, they are fine.

No I wouldn't expect to sit down, a 3 year old isn't a teeny baby they need their own set on a plane, so I'd expect the same on other modes of transport. They are too big to be sat on someone's knee for a long journey.

I certainly wouldn't be expecting a 3 year old to stand for a grown adult to sit, if someone elderly got on I'd stand for the elderly person but my child would stay sitting. Why don't you ask an adult if you need a seat and it isn't obvious you are pregnant or disabled?

And the argument about whether they pay, I don't approach elderly people with free bus passes and ask them for their seat, you know as I'm paying and they are riding for free.

I was asked to move from a priority seat that I'd booked. I'm In my 70s with arthritis so the extra l le g space helps. Seat next to me was empty so the train manager asked if the woman could sit down as she needed a seat. I must have looked puzzled and said yes the seat is free. He said no she wants your seat so her friend can sit with her. I refused to move as she didn't seem any less mobile than me and the young woman with her wasn't claiming to need a seat. They went off in a huff and the mad thing was the seat on the other side of the aisle was free so the could have been next to each other in aisle seats.

There is a big difference though between a 3 year old and 11 year old

Tell me you don’t have a 3 year old without telling me you don’t have a 3 year old…

No I wouldn’t ask to take the seat - the parent could have back issues or leg issues and have a reason that they can’t have their child sat on their lap. And I also wouldn’t think I was the special adult who could take the seat from the child in the first place, what about the other stood adults?

And the joy of trying to sort out food and drink for them which they will need to on a five hour journey.

So, you’re teaching your child that when a stranger asks for assistance, they’re just to say no. Great parenting. In this day and age, with people being so readily abusive, thoughtless and inconsiderate, I’d be surprised if people asking for a seat don’t actually have a good reason. Presumably, for you to give a toss they’d need to hold a placard detailing that they’re on their way home from chemo, their prosthetic limb is causing them pain, they’re recovering from surgery or whatever the case may be. Heaven forbid your child should have to stand up. Thoughts and prayers.

I wouldn't expect a 3 year old to give me their seat, no. I would move a young child onto my lap out of courtesy though.

Last time I was on a busy train, I was coming back from a show with my 7yo who was asleep in a window seat. A woman asked me if I would wake my DD, so she could have her seat. The answer to that was a definite no. I'm not sitting on a packed train for 1.5 hours with a 7 year old on top of me.

I would have moved my child.

I'm still waiting to be told why a young child (a weaker member of society) needs to give up their seat for a fully able and healthy adult.

I'm yet to hear a decent response as cos of money and they need to be shown that they need to show others respect and they aren't deserving of any don't appear to be a good reasons to me.

God some of you literally hate everyone.

Young children aren't given free access to public transport because they don't take up any space, they are given free access to public transport to help families, and mothers in particular gain affordable access to various public services, at a time in their lives where their earnings are likely to be diminished for childcare reasons.

I wouldn't demand someone with an OAP bus pass give me their seat because they got it for free, why would I do the same to a child?

Seats are taken on a first come first serve basis - disability not withstanding (yes before someone makes a fuss temporary disability counts too eg. hyperemesis or pregnancy PGP I cant be fucked with the what-abouters on here. Can we all try and get a bit of nuance back please.)

Just let things go, it isn't that hard and it will bring your blood pressure down.

Course I would..children are much more able to stand or sit on a lap then an older person or pregnant woman.

When we were kids we were always told to get up for someone more needy.
Ive noticed the last few years on packed buses, parents will stand and give the seat to the 3 year old..🤣 madness