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Original poster

Dd always putting the heating on..

235 replies

HowLuckyAmI · 18/04/2021 23:50

For about 3 months now DD aged 11 turns the heating on randomly when it really is not needed. Mostly she gets up in the middle of the night/early hours to switch it on then goes back to bed which then leaves the flat stuffy.
Ive asked her nicely to stop doing this, if she is cold than she has access to an extra blanket/dressing gown etc which is at the end of her bed. Instead she is turning it on making the whole place ridiculously hot.
I have covered the thermostat so she cant turn the dial but she has learnt how to turn it on direct from the touch pad.
DH has said to her if there isnt a good enough reason for her to do this and it wont stop then there will have to be punishments as she is delibrately ignoring our requests and the gas bill is huge!!
Any suggestions on how to get her to stop doing this?

OP posts:

TheDoctorDances · 19/04/2021 07:53

An electric blanket for her bed would cost pennies to run in electric and she could put it on when she wanted.

DianaT1969 · 19/04/2021 08:09

Don't get her an electric blanket, get her an electric throw. Around £45 from Argos. They stand up to lots of crumpling. Pennies to run per day. Much cheaper than heating on.
Otherwise, is she sleepwalking? Is it an act of defiance? Did you have a cold house this winter? I can't understand what she would say when you ask her why she is doing this.

TulipSandwiches · 19/04/2021 08:24

@Maggiesfarm

I like to be very warm.

Two things on which I would never skimp: heating and hot water.

So fuck it if you can't pay your rent or feed yourself or buy your child school shoes. As long as you are very warm?

Soubriquet · 19/04/2021 08:26

I agree with talking but also if she receives pocket money, I would be taking the extra from it.

Original poster

HowLuckyAmI · 19/04/2021 08:31

To reply to most of the questions.. I have asked her why she does it she says its because she is cold. As far as i am aware she is not getting up to use the toilet in the night, the thermostat is outside her bedroom door.
The thing is she is always running around with no coat/jumper most of the time and gets very hot and flustered. Like i have said its mainly early hours/late at night but she also will do it and random times of the day which although i do say go put a jumper/extra layers on etc she is still cold. When she does it during the day time i notice within 10 mins or so so i can turn it off.

OP posts:

Original poster

HowLuckyAmI · 19/04/2021 08:33

Weighted blanket or electric blanket sounds ideal i will look in to these thank you.

OP posts:

GrumpyHoonMain · 19/04/2021 08:34

Start charging her for the gas bill through pocket money and treats. Say if it continues you will need to stop buying her x, y and z to afford the heating and stick to your guns.!

Waxonwaxoff0 · 19/04/2021 08:39

@Wishitsnows

Maybe she is cold and you are a cheapskate

I take it you've never been in a position where you've had to choose between heating and eating. You've no idea of OP's circumstances.

Extra layers if she is cold and extra blankets.

Original poster

HowLuckyAmI · 19/04/2021 08:44

She gets £10 pocket money per week.
I am not a cheap skate i dont wish to waste unnecessary money and gas when it is not needed.

OP posts:

LemmysAceCard · 19/04/2021 08:44

@Wishitsnows

Maybe she is cold and you are a cheapskate

Maybe both are true but as the DD doesnt pay the gas bill she doesnt get to turn the heating on when she feels like it, she can ask and accept the answer.

Nsky · 19/04/2021 08:44

I have a mini fan heater , ( very mini) and use that to boost one room , rather than turn up thermostat

WeAllHaveWings · 19/04/2021 08:46

Make sure she has big PJs, cuffed ones are good to keep around the ankle and long sleeved/high necked. Bed socks and a high tog duvet.

If she is in a single bed tuck her in with a double bed blanket so covers don't come off/legs don't end up sticking out and getting cold.

MobyDicksTinyCanoe · 19/04/2021 08:46

Get her an electric blanket and start docking her pocket money if she carries on pissing about.

Yerroblemom1923 · 19/04/2021 08:47

Is she eating enough? I'm always cold if I'm on a diet.

Original poster

HowLuckyAmI · 19/04/2021 08:48

@Waxonwaxoff0 Thank you for realising i am not being cheap.
Like most of the population Covid has hit us hard financially and with the extra gas being used it has come to an extra £40 than what we usually pay so we have to cut back on other things to pay the extra.

OP posts:

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 19/04/2021 08:49

Sort her out with some extras to keep her warm - oil rad in bedroom, fleece socks, electric throw.

Once you know it's no longer to do with the temperature, tackle the behaviour.

The only other thought I had was that she needs the noise from the boiler to help her sleep.

UCOinanOCG · 19/04/2021 08:50

She gets £10 a week pocket money so you tell her every time she puts the heating on you will dock 50p from the next weeks money as it costs you money each time she puts it on. She will maybe then start to grasp the link between her actions and her source of money and why she can't keep doing this.

Soubriquet · 19/04/2021 08:50

If she won’t use blankets, jumpers etc to stay warm, then yes charge her her pocket money for putting the heating on. Bet she won’t do it then.

UCOinanOCG · 19/04/2021 08:52

And also put a visual chart on the wall where she can see her pocket money dwindling throughout the week. It will have more impact that way.

TheThingsWeAdmitOnMN · 19/04/2021 08:54

Irrespective of what it is, doing something's she's been told not to, like this, would result in the loss of picket money & any other privileges or treats.

If she has a phone, iPad etc she'd lose those for doing it & her pocket money to contribute to the cost.

I can't have the heating in through the night or coming in early hours as I over heat very quickly and feel really ill, (sounds like you're similar) so I'd be even more pissed off.

Obviously I'd make sure she was able to be warm enough - blankets/socks/pj's etc.

But she's 11. She'd be doing as she was told, or rather not doing what she was told not to!

thiswaythat · 19/04/2021 08:56

100% deduct from her pocket money every time she does it.
This would drive me crazy, she is blatantly defying you

starbrightstarlight8888 · 19/04/2021 08:58

I was going to ask if she was sleepwalking but you said she does it during the day too.

midnightstar66 · 19/04/2021 08:58

I have raynauds and also get hot and flustered when moving but very very cold when sedentary. As a teen my parents provided me with an oils filled radiatior for my room so they weren't heating the whole house. Electric blankets don't help as the shock of getting from a warm bed to a cold room is awful.

Nith · 19/04/2021 09:07

Small oil filled radiator in her room, warning that if she doesn't stop her pocket money gets cut in half.

imissthe90s · 19/04/2021 09:07

I'd start docking it from her pocket money if she doesn't stop. She'll soon learn that it costs money to heat the home up and it should stop her in her tracks.

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