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AIBU?

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Original poster

Husband opens blinds in baby’s room

212 replies

DownmarketSellingSunset · 06/09/2026 11:24

The baby only sleeps in there - nothing else. He insists on going in every morning to open the blinds and the shutters to let light in because it’s ‘unhealthy’ not to do it (I’ve asked what he means and he just says it is dull without the blinds open). They aren’t blackout blinds, just normal blinds, so there is plenty of light in there during the daytime.

But, I’m almost always the one that puts her down for a nap or bedtime. So every time I take her up I have to try and negotiate fiddly blinds with one hand, while being pinched and grabbed because she wants her milk and to go to sleep but won’t with the light streaming in.

so, AIBU to insist he stops bloody opening the blinds for no reason? He thinks I’m wildly over reacting and it’s fine to pull them down when I go in to put her down for a nap.

OP posts:
serendipit · 06/09/2026 13:00

Sunlight does help kill bacteria / fungi in dust so letting the light in is healthy. I agree with your husband. I would also open the window a little each day even in winter to air the room.

I suggest you get easier blinds to open.

FeministThrowingAPrincessParty · 06/09/2026 12:59

OP, I know exactly what you mean. I found the blinds tricky with DC1. But I think others are right about airing the room. You’ll just have to put baby down for a few seconds while you do them. That feels like the end of the work when you’re trying to settle them for a nap, but it will be fine.

DustyMaiden · 06/09/2026 12:59

Tell him to go and close them before you go up with baby.

SpaceShark · 06/09/2026 12:57

This thread is wild.

Thingsthatgo · 06/09/2026 12:55

It feels much healthier for a room to get light and air. It’ll help prevent musty stale air and mould growth. I think maybe it’s worth investigating blinds or curtains that are easier to use one handed. We had both a blackout blind and curtains when the DCs were little, and I just pulled the curtains over for nap time.

BudgetBuster · 06/09/2026 12:53

tara66 · 06/09/2026 12:46

Tell him about how young children have strangled themselves on blind cords and what does he think he is doing. You can look up cases I remember it happened years back in house in Notting Hill.. London.

They can strangle whether the blinds are open or closed... so what the hell is the OP doing then either?

Keymoment · 06/09/2026 12:50

I wouldn’t keep the blinds closed all day, no.

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 06/09/2026 12:48

I don't open my blinds because I have a bus stop right outside my house and we only ever have double deckers every 20 mins. But in every other room I open the curtains and blinds. Your DH is not the weird one here.

However, the closing them thing sounds more like a passive aggressive way to get at your husband. You are deliberately making it difficult and more awkward than it needs to be. Just put the baby down while you do it.

HollyMcDolly · 06/09/2026 12:46

The things that women are complaining about (men doing) is getting more trivial everyday. Count yourself lucky that’s all you have to whinge about

tara66 · 06/09/2026 12:46

Tell him about how young children have strangled themselves on blind cords and what does he think he is doing. You can look up cases I remember it happened years back in house in Notting Hill.. London.

SevenYellowHammers · 06/09/2026 12:45

DownmarketSellingSunset · 06/09/2026 11:24

The baby only sleeps in there - nothing else. He insists on going in every morning to open the blinds and the shutters to let light in because it’s ‘unhealthy’ not to do it (I’ve asked what he means and he just says it is dull without the blinds open). They aren’t blackout blinds, just normal blinds, so there is plenty of light in there during the daytime.

But, I’m almost always the one that puts her down for a nap or bedtime. So every time I take her up I have to try and negotiate fiddly blinds with one hand, while being pinched and grabbed because she wants her milk and to go to sleep but won’t with the light streaming in.

so, AIBU to insist he stops bloody opening the blinds for no reason? He thinks I’m wildly over reacting and it’s fine to pull them down when I go in to put her down for a nap.

Sunlight is a natural germ killer and I do the same in my DS19’s room every day and open window when I clean, even when he’s away at uni. It seems psychologically important as well as healthy. However, the lots of little jobs build up, don’t they? So ask your DH to not do it unless he’s there to help you out her down for her nap.

Beepen · 06/09/2026 12:44

You do need to open the blinds every day. I think YABU.

Westfacing · 06/09/2026 12:43

I'm on team husband here!

Day/night, light/dark - circadian rhythm and all that

To me it's somehow odd not to open/close curtains at certain times - though I know that many on MN never open the curtains or the front door

SendforJulietOne · 06/09/2026 12:42

I mean, if I'm carrying something and then need both my hands for a task, I put down the thing I'm carrying and then pick it back up when I'm done. This can be applied to boxes, books, babies and bananas.

Sezza57325 · 06/09/2026 12:40

I think the blind is the problem, not the actual act of letting light in. It’s normal to let daylight in and if you don’t open the blind in the winter you will probably get mould around the window.

A roller blind or Venetian should be easy to do with one hand. If it’s the type of Roman blind you have to pull and then wrap the cord, they are annoying and not that safe for a child’s room

Comeonbabylightmyaga · 06/09/2026 12:40

Do you not ever air the room?

What kind of blinds are they?

Fattypantss · 06/09/2026 12:40

PollyBell · 06/09/2026 12:37

100% team husband and we air all rooms as much as possible i hate rooms where windows are never opened

Edited

My windows were open behind the closed, wooden slatted blinds. I have windows open all year round, sometimes fully, sometimes just a crack when it’s very cold. air still gets in when a blind or curtain is shut behind a close blind or curtains.

Morepositivemum · 06/09/2026 12:39

I walk around all the rooms letting light in, it’s horrible when blinds are down all day, I can’t explain it but it does make the room feel a bit grim or something. If he’s around the house over the day get him to shut them before you put the baby down. If not there’s nothing really you can do

RampantIvy · 06/09/2026 12:39

PollyBell · 06/09/2026 12:37

100% team husband and we air all rooms as much as possible i hate rooms where windows are never opened

Edited

I agree. The babies room would smell all fusty. I always air bedrooms.

PollyBell · 06/09/2026 12:37

100% team husband and we air all rooms as much as possible i hate rooms where windows are never opened

outerspacepotato · 06/09/2026 12:37

Get cordless blinds.

Your husband is right. It's normal to open blinds and curtains in the morning to let light in. Windows too unless the air quality is bad.

Don't you air out your rooms?

BudgetBuster · 06/09/2026 12:36

Fattypantss · 06/09/2026 12:14

Ffs it’s a fucking blind. Important to him 🤣

I know that if I’d have taken my half asleep babies into a bright room, they would have worked up and been alert.

So I kept the blinds shut. Guess what, my house didn’t go damp or fall down and they all somehow, I don’t know how according to NHS guidelines, learned the difference between day and night.

It was only for a little while and made nap times less stressful.

If she’s told him that it makes it more stress putting the baby down for a nap and he’s insisting on opening a fucking blind anyway, then he’s a bit of a dick.

Show quote history

Beg to differ... id be very fucking worried about leaving a baby woth someone who can't manage to close a blind

AhBiscuits · 06/09/2026 12:35

I'm with him. A room should have natural light and some fresh air each morning. Change the blinds if they are that fiddly.
Ours are connected to Alexa so we can open all the blinds at once with a command if we want.

RampantIvy · 06/09/2026 12:35

Team husband here.

Any1ForTennis · 06/09/2026 12:33

I would let the natural light in, ultimately you eventually want the baby to settle their circadian rhythm so they sleep at night.