Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Mum has no cash to carpet her home but buys Burberry and Gucci clothes for her children

A mum who is happy to have no carpet in her home so her kids can walk around in designer clothes said she does it so people believe she's a good parent.

Kelly McKenna said her demanding 12-year-old daughter Chase has Burberry bedding and a number of Gucci outfits.

She said she feels people will think she's a better mum if she dresses her kids in pricey gear - with seven-year old Mackenzie and 14-year old Rhys also looking the part.

They starred in Channel 5 documentary 12 Year Old Shopaholic and Other Big Spending Kids in 2014 and the clip has just resurfaced on social media.

It left users' jaws on the floor as Kelly and push over husband Alan from Bexley, south east London, gave in to their demands.

The parents say they really struggle to say no to their trendy kids (John Nguyen/JNVisuals)

“People would say ‘you’ve got no carpet but your kids’ running around in Lacoste’,” Kelly explains on the programme.

“We are crap with money, we don’t have savings, we live everyday as it is.

“I had my kids young and I felt like if I dressed them in designer gear then people would think I was doing an alright job.

Chase and fellow pre-teen shopaholics featured in a documentary (Only Human)

“The minute they were born they were all in designer clothes. I wanted my kids to look nice.

“We could have loads of bills and I could still go to bed and sleep. Things like that don’t worry me.”

Viewers were stunned to see the mum confess that she can't afford to put carpet down because of the spending.

The show focussed on spoiled Chase, who refuses to shop on the high street.

Mum Kelly McKenna wants people to think she is a good mum so dresses her kids well (Only Human)

The kids say they often get £300 each per week to spend on looking good.

‘I’ve already had £150 this week and it’s only Tuesday," brags the 12-year old.

"If I ask dad for something and don’t get a yes straight away I give him 'The Face'.

"I like labels....Ralph, Juicy, Gucci. I don’t do Primark!"

But she said they couldn't afford carpet for the family home (Only Human)

The couple say they do sometimes struggle to keep up with their children’s constant demands.

Kelly stays at home to look after the kids while her husband runs his own building company.

She went on: "We are useless with money but we’re not on benefits. Alan works for it."

"My mum always said 'you’re not here forever so spend it while you can' and I think she’s right."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.