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Do You Lie about LO's Age to Get In Free?

We are looking at going to an event with DD. If she were 2 or under she'd be free, but since she's 3 her ticket would cost $17. I'm sure they wouldn't actually question her age, but I always feel nervous about lying. Do you ever lie to get your LO in free?

  1. catomd00

    grapefruit / 4418 posts

    No.

  2. rachiecakes

    coconut / 8279 posts

    Haha no but I remember my great-aunt taking me to the movies and lying about my age when I was little!

  3. mrbee

    admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts

    I figure that the kids are paying attention, and if we lie in front of them... that will leave an impression. So I just pay the extra money if it's a little silly that a few months can result in a big price jump!

  4. Foodnerd81

    wonderful cherry / 21504 posts

    Yes, with no shame.

    Our children's museum charges full price for a 1 year old- $14! For a child who can use exactly one room of the museum. So before we bought a membership, I said she was 11 months for a few extra months. If they had charged a more reasonable rate for her age I would have been more likely to tell the truth. (So my morals are dependant, I guess).

    That's the only time it's come up and she clearly over one now. But in your case I'd probably lie again.

  5. Foodnerd81

    wonderful cherry / 21504 posts

    @rachiecakes: I remember my dad lying about our age, and coaching us to do so, when taking the train to NYC. My mom used to get mad that he was teaching us to lie. And now look at me... Totally comfortable lying about that stuff. Maybe she was right.

  6. stiletto_mom

    persimmon / 1183 posts

    Yes

  7. mrsjyw

    GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts

    Nope! We paid for Ds for the first time this year for our zoo membership. I figure it's going to a good cause and doesn't make much difference in our pockets to pay.

  8. Jess1483

    nectarine / 2641 posts

    No. But I'm tempted!

  9. Andrea

    GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts

    Nah, we just don't go if I feel like it's too pricey for kids.

  10. Rockies11

    persimmon / 1363 posts

    No, but my parents lied about our ages everywhere all the time. I don't think it taught me that lying was okay or anything, but it did make me profoundly uncomfortable because I hated getting in trouble and I was always scared we would get busted and I would get in trouble, lol.

  11. Purpledaisy

    nectarine / 2973 posts

    Not yet but I will! Right now at 2 she's still free everywhere we have been so far. She is also very small and petite for her age so I'll stretch the being two out for awhile longer. I think that a lot of place charge way too much for younger kids who aren't even old enough to fully enjoy the place. Especially when there are two paying adults also that are only there because of their child (it's not something adults would really enjoy themselves).

  12. Greentea

    pomelo / 5678 posts

    No. I think that sets a poor precedent for the people who don't lie and takes advantage of honesty.

  13. matador84

    papaya / 10560 posts

    No...I just feel a little unethical about it.

  14. Mrs. Lion

    blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts

    definitely no. the way we act in situations like that is the way we model for our kids. if we expect them to be honest and display ethical behavior it starts with us. otherwise the lesson is "tell the truth, unless it benefits you to lie" which is not the message I would want to send my kids.

  15. Anagram

    eggplant / 11716 posts

    I probably wouldn't have a problem doing it within a couple of months of the 2 year birthday.. After that, I'd suck it up and pay I guess.

  16. Torchwood

    pomelo / 5607 posts

    DH undoubtedly will. He's cheap and has no compunctions about that sort of thing. I'd like to say my main reason for not doing it would be what mr.bee said, since I do definitely agree with him. But really I just have huge authority issues and am terrified of getting in trouble.

  17. Mrs. Tiger

    blogger / pomegranate / 3044 posts

    Not to get in free, but I've lied and said they're older on a few occasions so they could participate in something. Example, to feed the giraffes at the San Diego zoo you have to be four, but my sister and I fudged it for our then 2-3yos.

  18. brownie

    grapefruit / 4110 posts

    We did don't ask don't tell at an amusement park for 6 months after my son turned 3 (3 and under free). I had a pass and he couldn't ride the big rides. Bought him a ticket this last time because he was finally big enough. Granted he is the size of a 3 year old. In those situations I would rather pay by height.

  19. Grace

    cantaloupe / 6730 posts

    Lol - my parents did this all the time. Especially for the kids menu. I had to stay 12 for at least a year.

  20. Truth Bombs

    grapefruit / 4321 posts

    Nope. It's not that I'm worried about getting caught, it's that I don't believe in setting an example for my daughter of lying or cheating the system.

  21. Foodnerd81

    wonderful cherry / 21504 posts

    I'm feeling a little guilty... But in my defense I only did it for a few months after she turned one. I'm quite sure she had no clue. When she can understand more I will be more honest.

  22. Anagram

    eggplant / 11716 posts

    @Foodnerd81: don't feel guilty! I bet a LOT of people lie about this kind of thing IRL. Probably here too, but they just aren't posting it.

    I have no less than 3 friends who have trips planned to Sesame Place this summer who are planning to say their kids are under two. And they're all 2 and 1 month old.

    I feel like that kind of cutoff is so close, (shrug). And I'm typically a very honest, return-wrong-change kind of person, but I still would consider doing it.

  23. sarac

    pomelo / 5093 posts

    No. My parents did this until I was quite old, even coaching me to lie about it. It was mortifying, to be honest, and it made me feel quite shameful. So I'll never do it to my kids.

  24. Mrs. Lion

    blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts

    @Anagram: My problem with it (aside from setting a bad example) is that there is a reason that these places allow kids under 2 for free. They want families to bring kids who are old enough to enjoy it (2+) but know that often they have younger siblings. By allowing those younger siblings to come for free (often these kids can't really fully participate in the activities due to their young age) it is more likely that they will recruit said families. But by lying about the age, people are taking advantage of the system. They are bringing children who ARE old enough to enjoy the activities, but are avoiding paying the admission. In addition to being dishonest, it drives prices up for everyone else. Maybe people do it, but that doesn't make it okay. It is still stealing.

  25. tequiero21

    honeydew / 7968 posts

    We don't lie. But it pains me to pay full price lol.

  26. Anagram

    eggplant / 11716 posts

    @Mrs. Lion: I wasn't saying I support it, just that it's probably pretty common outside of this one thread.

  27. Greentea

    pomelo / 5678 posts

    The thing is, my daughter looks 3 or 4 (97th % for height). I would hate to get questioned or accused of lying when we are being legit- especially if it is because other people are lying and setting poor precedent. It is also entirely unnecessary. If you are indigent in my city, they have reduced rate programs. If you are not indigent, lying in that way is unnecessary.

    I have also always been very tall. People accused me of lying growing up.

    @Mrs. Lion: I completely agree.

  28. yoursilverlining

    eggplant / 11824 posts

    @Mrs. Tiger: we've only lied in this direction as well; we took LO to the bibbidy-bobidy boutique before their minimum age. LO sat perfectly still for her hair etc (unlike older kids in chairs on either side of her), which I knew she would, so I don't feel weird about it (and obviously we paid full price too).

    I don't lie about LO being younger, even tho she is shrimpy so I probably could. I'm tempted to, but feel way to uncomfortable and unethical to actually do it.

  29. kjpugs

    grapefruit / 4862 posts

    I would entertain it on a situational basis. We did occasionally at the beach in the summer, since to get on the beach or into the locker/pool area you needed a badge which we got a certain # of. You COULD buy daily ones but we spent the whole summer there. Occasionally when we had guests our youngest sister got a little younger. We spent a lottttt of money there on badges as well as stuff so I don't have an issue with that looking back. I also know a lot of people lie at Disney (kids are free through age 2, but I know sometimes kids age 3 fudge. I have no real issue with that either- my bigger issue is that there is almost nothing a 3 (or 4!) year old can do there that a 2 year old can't. Really you have to be at least 5 to get your money's worth and I think it's crappy they don't do a special price for the youngsters or do free thru 3.

  30. erinpye

    pomegranate / 3706 posts

    Never.

  31. Rainbow Sprinkles

    eggplant / 11287 posts

    No, I do not. But I almost lied about her being a bit older than she is so I could pay for her to go to a certain class. But I decided against it.

  32. 808love

    pomelo / 5866 posts

    I admit I've done it to get her into a movie. But felt horrible - ok, well, just a little bad-so I don't do it.

  33. Ms. RV

    pear / 1930 posts

    No LO yet, but I can imagine stretching the truth to my advantage. If they say 2 and under, I'm going assume they mean 24 months and 364 days (day before 3rd birthday) and under and not just 24 months and under. The day before a LO turns 3 they are still 2

  34. hellocupcake

    persimmon / 1171 posts

    I really do wish amusement parks and such charged by height and not age. If my daughter is 3 but still can't use anything in the park (I'm looking at you Disney) then I shouldn't have to pay for her. That said, we haven't had to lie yet but are considering buying an annual pass to Disneyland. If we do, half the time LO will be 3 so we would have to buy her a separate pass, I don't know if we want to do that just yet.

  35. Charm54

    cantaloupe / 6885 posts

    @kjpugs: kids are free at Disney 0-3! (At Disney world anyway). It's one of the reasons we are taking DD this spring when she is 2.5

  36. Mrs. Lion

    blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts

    @Ms. RV: that sounds acurate to me. 2 and under means less than 3.

    @kjpugs: why is it that you feel that you are entitled to steal from a company just because you don't agree with their prices? Under your logic, anytime I don't agree with the way a company prices their items I should just take what I want, because I "think it's crappy" that they priced it the way they did?

  37. buttermilk

    nectarine / 2086 posts

    @Ms. RV: haha good point!

    No LO yet and not sure what I would do, though I'm usually a scaredy pants when it comes to stuff like this so I don't think I would lie. However, when I was younger and we went to Disney world my parents made me lie and pretend I was a year or two younger to get the child's rate. I can't remember at all what the cutoff was to be charged an adult ticket, but I HATED when they made me do that. Since I was older I actually remember, but I still didn't come away from it thinking my parents were bad ppl. They were very honest normally, and I think I understood that DW was just mega expensive haha. Wow, weird memory!

  38. ladybee

    grapefruit / 4079 posts

    @Foodnerd81: don't feel guilty. I haven't had to yet because LO is free until 3 at most of the stuff we do. He won't be 3 until next October so I have over a year and summer will be over so we won't be doing those things. I'm not sure if I will or not, I haven't had to make that choice yet so it's hard to say. I know a friend of the family let him in free at a rib cookoff. What is a 1.5 year old paying for at a rib cookoff? He can't eat ribs, he doesn't drink beer, and he's too short to ride the rides.

  39. ladybee

    grapefruit / 4079 posts

    @buttermilk: I'm a scardy cat too! It's like I'm afraid they'll ask for proof. I honestly don't see myself lieing either for that reason.

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