Is it OK to charge other parents to attend your kid's birthday party?

A single mother has defended her plans to charge children £6 if they attend the 5th birthday party of her twin boys.

Former council worker Ruma Ali, 29, plans to charge parents to cover the cost of their trip to an indoor play centre in Leicester.

The mother of two, currently a second-year student at De Montfort University, said she wants to invite all 60 pupils from her sons' year, but is unsure if she is able to afford it alone.

Because her sons are in different classes they each have a wide group of friends and "didn't want anyone to feel left out".

"I thought I don't want to pick and choose which friends can come," she told the Leicester Mercury. "I thought, invite the whole class and then nobody's upset. I thought they would understand."

Some parents have taken to Facebook to express their annoyance at the the charge.

"In all my years of hosting and being invited to kids parties, I have never been asked to pay for attending a party. Is this the done thing nowadays?," one parent asked.

However Ali has strongly defended her decision and pointed out that a ticket to Fun Valley, in Evington costs £11, and means she will have spent £660 before food and goodie bags. She still he expects to pay around £500 despite some costs being subsidised by other parents.

Other parents have come out in support of Ali and think paying some costs is fair.

'Not all parents can afford to pay for parties but also they want to make their child happy by having a party for them. Instead of buying a gift you could pay the £6 and buy a birthday card', one wrote on Facebook post that sparked the debate.

Another added: 'I personally feel if you want to attend and pay then do so, and if u don't that's fine too.'