MRS Hinch has sparked controversy after putting on an extravagant display with balloons and gifts to mark her sons’ first day back at school.
The cleanfluencer is mum to Ronnie, five, Lennie, three and six-month-old Vinnie – with her two eldest boys going into their next years at school.
Ronnie is moving up to the next year at school, while Lennie is starting[/caption]
And to celebrate the occasion, Mrs Hinch – aka Sophie Hinchcliffe – set up a display of balloons for her boys to wake up to, and shared a look on her Instagram Stories.
As well as the “back to school” and “welcome back” balloons, she stuck images up on the wall – of alarm clocks, an apple, school bus and a pile of books.
Sophie then put her boys’ school bags and shoes on the bench, on top of which she placed a ‘First Day of School hug’.
The note had a cute bag symbol on it, alongside the words: “Keep it in your pocket, while you work and play, to have my heart with you all through the day”.
The next Instagram snap was a collage of the boys heading off to school, in their blazers, shorts, pulled up socks and hats.
It also featured a image which read: “I just hope this school year is kind to every child’s heart”.
Mrs Hinch isn’t the only mum to have shelled out for presents and balloons for their kids going back to school.
But one mother who insisted she wouldn’t is Zara, who launched an expletive-filled tirade against those guilty of the ‘crime’ in a video on her TikTok page.
Referring to the balloon arches she’s seen on social media, she raged: “I’ve had a f**king arch on my back! Picking up after the (*****) for the past two months.
“Balloon arch my b**locks!
“And a present? Some **** better buy me a present.”
Zara added that the cost of the school uniform – which some people have spent £1,000 on – negates any need for an extra present.
“You know what your present is, mate? Your f**king uniform. You’ll be lucky if you get lunch that day!”
She also insisted that if she had to spend a thousand pounds on uniform, her kids would be homeschooled and work during the school holidays to pay their way.
“See, if I was paying a grand for my ween to go to school, it’d better be f**king Hogwarts,” Zara continued.
“And they can f**king feed them the whole year as well.”
EXTRA HELP WITH SCHOOL UNIFORM COSTS
IF you can’t get targeted help from your council, you might have some other options available to you.
In some areas, you can talk directly to your school, which might be able to offer you clothing.
Or, you might be able to get cheap garments from low-budget shops or charity stores.
Some charities offer help to families in need too.
But bear in mind charities often have a limited amount of money to give and usually have specific criteria which must be met in order to get a grant.
Charity Turn2Us has a free grants search tool on its website which you can use to find out what help is available to you.
Meanwhile, you can always try approaching your nearest Citizens’ Advice branch.
If you don’t know where your nearest Citizens’ Advice branch is, you can find out by visiting www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/nearby/.
If you’re not eligible for a school uniform grant you might be able to get help through the Household Support Fund.
She concluded by saying that people didn’t want to hear her opinions on boo baskets – the gift-stuffed baskets given from boyfriends to their other halves.
“On a serious note, if it’s what you want to do, you do it,” Zara added in the caption.
And people in the comments section were quick to agree with Zara’s viewpoint, with one writing: “I’m buying myself a back to school present for putting up with the s**t show six week holiday!”
“Why are we getting kids presents to go back to school?” another questioned.
“They’ve done nothing but cost money for six weeks! Where’s my present for getting through it with my child still in one piece?!”
“I’ve seen people buying teachers’ presents for the START of the year,” someone else wrote.
With Zara sighing: “I can’t!”