Expectant mum causes outrage by charging friends to attend her baby shower

An expectant mother has split opinion after charging friends and family £15 each to attend her baby shower.

The cheeky charge was revealed by a friend of the mum-to-be, who revealed on parenting forum Mumsnet that guests were being asked to pay for the shower.

She explained: 'My friend is having a baby shower. She’'s one of my best friends so there's no real choice but to attend. Not keen on going at all, but I'll go for her.

'She's organised it to be in a function room of a social club. She's pleased because she'll only have to charge £15 per head.

'I thought she meant that's all she'd have to pay, but no, that's what she's charging the guests to attend to cover the costs.'

She then asked if she was being unreasonable for thinking the charge is 'ridiculous'.

But she was not alone as many other parents quickly expressed their outrage and insisted the charge was completely 'unnecessary'.

One said: ‘You're paying to attend a party thrown by her? Utterly ridiculous. Why can't she just have it at her home? I take it she's expecting presents too?’

Another said: ‘I wouldn’t dream of hosting a baby shower and charging for it. If I were organising one for someone else (as is more traditional) I would consider options where there is a price per head but something more formal like afternoon tea. It seems less cheeky if it's not the mum to be asking for the cash too.'

A third said: 'That is ridiculous and totally unnecessary'.

But some parents could see the expectant mum’s reasoning, with one commenting: ‘I’m on the fence really. You pay to attend hens and so on…’

Another said: ‘I agree, her use of the word charge is poor but if she was a good friend I'd probably justify it to myself by saying I'd spend more if we all went out’.

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