Be honest, do you lie about your children's age to save money?

[TheCatSitterDM]

I'm fully expected to get roasted and called all sorts of names but who here tells little white lies about their children's age to save money?

My DS was quite short, so I got away with him being 4 (and therefore free) on the bus until he was nearly 7 and it became obvious he was older after a growth spirt.

And this half term, I said my DD was 3 (not 4) to save money on her admission to swimming.

YABU - You're alway honest about your children's age
YANBU - You tell the occasion fib to save some £ here and there

Less theft more fraud 🤷‍♀️

I did it all the time when mine were little.

They still joke about being 3 until they were 7 now they are mostly adults.

In what way was it detrimental to the injured child? I don't know what National Park is but unless she was trying to sue them over the injury I'd say it could well be more than worth it still for many people.

Ha, love how everyone is making out there OP is some sort of criminal for getting a few quid off no doubt extortionate family days out even with a bit of creative aging of the kids.

I could never do this because mine are both tall for their age. We tried the reverse once when DD was 2 months too young for an activity at a holiday park so we aged her up on the form. While we got away with it, her constant theatrical and completely unprompted declarations that "I am 8, not 7. Imagine being 7. I remember it of course, but I am 8. It's great being 8" meant we never tried it again.

No. They'd show me up straight away, they know how old they are.

I’ve done it a few times to save money on hotel rooms.

Yanbu, my kids are both giants so I've never been able to get away with it, but I would if I could. 😂

My mum used to do this and I always felt so embarrassed. I didn't with my kids, I feel more comfortable abiding by the rules, but also wanted to bring my children up to be honest.

I didn't but from the age of three I'm pretty sure mine would have piped up with, "no I'm not, I'm X!"

Yup always have done. My kids are small for their age (cursed with my genes) I remember my own mother used to do it too.

We had this too. There were little motor boats and you needed to be 7 to go on alone and she was like 6 and 10 months. Oh my god the absolute drama of her flouncing around shouting "I remember being 6, it was such a long time ago" and "mummy do you remember my 7th birthday party?!?". We were in France, I'm pretty sure the teenager operating the boats didn't speak English so the performance went unappreciated. 😂

Sometimes. But only when the child is very close to the cut off- I feel like the maximum would be few months past the charging birthday- and when its really not obvious because that's insulting to the cashier. I wouldn't have dared up until age 7!

I did do this at Easter for my youngest. Their birthday putting them from the free to £15 child ticket category happened three days before the Easter holidays. They were a premature baby and are small for their age. In my head it felt close enough that it would be harmless to say they still didn't need a ticket.

Certainly not but have this in reverse. When ds was about 9-3/4 an officious LT employee halted me at a London tube station and argued that DS was over 10. He was not. I noted that I was not a liar and he disagreed. I paid and asked for a receipt. That receipt and a copy of DS's passport was sent to the then Chair of London Transport on DH's Chambers' notepaper.

DS was not tall and I am not and have never been a liar. But the op's conduct helps explain why I was questioned in such a way.

We received a full apology btw and I think a voucher for some free trips. The individual was unspeakable.

My daughter is 18 but the size of a 12 year old - so yes I put her through as a child for tickets on the bus or train.
She would be taking exactly the same space if she WAS 12 🤷
However when she was smaller/younger (but over 5 so no longer entitled to free travel) I would put her on my lap if the bus/train was busy.
So it evens out in my personal opinion.

My son was quite small for his age, so yes we did a couple of times.

Oh course MNers will be sanctimonious about how they could never do such a thing (a bit like nobody ever breaks the speed limit until you happen to be driving behind them one day and find out that they definitely do!)

No, I have never done this.

Partly because I feel it would be sneaky and unethical, and drive up the cost for everyone else. But mainly because it would massively undermine the values we’re trying to instil in our boys about integrity and character, i.e. doing the right thing even when nobody’s looking or when you could do the wrong thing and get away with it.

I want to be a decent example to my DC and doing this wouldn’t feel compatible with that.

I know a dad who bought his child chunkier trainers so they could tip over the height limit to get on big rollercoasters. The child was aware he was doing it. Total dick.

My DC's will always sit with me / their DF if the bus is full (or the train if I haven't paid for their seat) regardless of their age

My very petite daughter got the under 13 meal price at Pizza Hut until she was about 17....🤣

Did it all the time with my eldest. I had him at 16 in a toxic relationship so was far from rich. Why should I feel bad making sure he didn’t miss out on doing what every other kid does?
Im convinced the sanctimony comes from giants with tall children who couldn’t get away with it anyway 😂

Yup. I book my 16 year old as 15 at the cinema. I have also booked under 3 for my child at a kids farm where under 3s were free.

Ive also ordered from a child’s menu for ‘under 12s only’ for someone over 12.

On your lap?

I always used to, it's hardly crime of the century is it.

I have ordered off the "under 12" menu at Pizza Hut for myself loads of times.
They don't ever question it.

No because she's massive and I had enough on trying to prove she wasn't older when she was actually younger.