Years ago, before extended cabs and crew cabs were readily available, riding in the TC was not uncommon. There weren't many options back then.
Today, many folks have the ability to allow all passengers to actually ride in the truck. Having something go terribly wrong because I wanted the kid to "have fun" isn't something I am going to gamble with. We all make choices, and we all live with the consequences. I'm still living with the broken nose after 50+ years.