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

Gosh, you really hate kids, don't you.
The child isn't stealing a seat because they're often entitled to travel free.

Eh? Your ticket doesn’t entitle you to a seat. To use your metaphor it is a bit like Waitrose giving a child a free chocolate at Christmas and you snatching it off them.

But the child doesn't have a seat reservation and is travelling free of charge BECAUSE they can be put on their parent's lap therefore the paying adult IS entitled to the toddler's seat.

Actual reasons?

"Your ticket doesn’t entitle you to a seat."

It does if one is available, which it would be if the parent put the child on their lap.

I think I’d rather the child be seated safely and stand myself that have a three year old standing while holding on to a handrail and being jolted about with starts and stops etc particularly if the carriage is busy.

Which one of these are you denying?

@Lavender14

you pay for trains even if you are in receipt of the state pension, only buses are free nationwide. A few cities have free trains but only local services not long distance

She's not asking for the small child to stand. She noted that in her OP. She thinks the small child should be in parent's lap.

I remember a woman having a go at me when I was heavily pregnant for this reason- the bus was full and they were standing and my 3 year old was seated next to me. I explained that I was pregnant and couldn’t hold her on my lap (I also had severe PGP but why should I need to explain that to an angry stranger?) and she started arguing about how many kids she’d had etc etc…I noticed that she didn’t pick any of the young men on the bus to have a go at for not giving up their seat, some people just like an easy target. So no, I wouldn’t ask someone to move their child so I could sit down. Children are people too and you don’t know their circumstances. Sorry you had to stand, it’s annoying but it happens if transport is busy.

The seat is also be available to the child, who got there first and possibly needs it more. HTH

Yes, for some reason people keep ignoring that, Probably because it doesn’t suit their narrative,

Exactly, why are these entitled folk picking on children?

If a child is already in the seat, and there isn't anywhere else for them to sit or safely stand, then only a rude or entitled person would demand they move.

There we go. Case closed. OP is right.

Nope.

But in this case somewhere else for them to sit - parent's lap.

It's not safe for a child to sit on a parent's lap in a moving vehicle, never mind uncomfortable.

How 'nope' if it's National Rail's rules (as well as being common sense)?

Again, there isn't.
Never mind it being uncomfortable, it's completely unsafe.

Unsafe practices are not 'common sense'.
It's an ancient rule that nobody has bothered to update, and is completely unsafe.
HTH

I wouldn’t ask but I would judge. It’s very selfish. A child of 3 can sit on a parent’s lap when there are adults standing.

But this is MN so you’ll be shouted down!

Nope. My child has always gotten own seat- it’s too heavy for me to have on lap even at 3yr old. I normally stand. A 3 yr old needs a seat more than an able bodied person.

All those who think three year olds are just small adults, most three year olds still need a nap in the afternoon, generally of at least an hour. Those that don’t still need quiet time to rest. A significant proportion are still in nappies. Most talk in 3 to 4 word sentences. If separated from their parents they won’t be able to give their address. Their bones are still forming in their hands and their feet.

I mean I might judge someone who thinks they can judge a complete stranger's situation so well.......