Downstairs neighbour pulls his blind down and stares at me every morning when I take my daughter to school. what would you do?

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I’m looking for some advice because this situation is really starting to affect me, and I don’t know what to do about it.
I live in a block of four flats, and my downstairs neighbour lives alone. Every morning when I take my four-year-old daughter to school, he pulls his blind down and stares at me through his window.
What makes me particularly uncomfortable is that I’ve noticed it happens when I’m taking my daughter to school, but not when I’m on my own or when my partner is with me.
It’s happened again this morning, and I’ve been left feeling sick to my stomach. I don’t know why he’s doing it, but the fact that it keeps happening in this particular situation is making me increasingly uncomfortable.
I should be able to leave my own home with my daughter without feeling watched or anxious. I don’t want confrontation with a neighbour, but I’m starting to dread these encounters, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want to feel comfortable where I live.
Has anyone experienced anything similar? Would you ignore it, speak to the landlord, or report it if it continued? I don’t want to make assumptions about his intentions, but I also don’t want to dismiss how uncomfortable this is making me feel.
I’d appreciate honest advice, especially from anyone who’s dealt with a neighbour who repeatedly watches them like this. Am I overthinking it, or would you find it unsettling too?

Overthinking. Wave at him next time.

Do you mean he opens his blinds as you walk past? ‘Pulling the blinds down’ is what I do of a night once it goes dark, meaning I can no longer see out and no one outside can see in. Is he opening or closing his blinds as you walk by?

Just to clarify, he pulls his blind down and then seems to watch me through the gaps. It happens almost every morning when I take my daughter to school. Our car park is right there too, so it’s not as though I’m deliberately looking into his window.
What makes it feel uncomfortable is that it seems to happen when I’m taking my daughter out, but I haven’t noticed it when I’m on my own or when my partner is with me. I appreciate that there could be an innocent explanation, and I’m not claiming to know what he’s thinking, but the repeated behaviour is making me feel uneasy.
I’m not looking to cause trouble with him or confront him. I just wanted to hear how other people would handle the situation, as it’s horrible feeling uncomfortable in your own home and during your everyday routine.
Just to add, the blinds are short vertical ones that slide from left to right. When he pulls one down, it’s really obvious, because my car is parked in a row directly facing the flats. I’ve even installed a dash cam to record it, just to have some evidence. I don’t want to escalate things, but I felt like I needed to document it because the pattern is making me really uneasy.

Speculation is of no use here!!!

Nobody knows if this is harmful or harmless so I would ask to speak to a community police officer or a non emergency contact and discuss it.

Don’t ignore your instincts- keep a notebook and write down the times and dates of each occurrence.

If it’s something of nothing then no harm done.

There’s no harm in watching out for yourself and daughter.

My daughter is 4 and knows about stranger danger

Have you tried leaving earlier, to see if it happens? It may be complete coincidence that he happens to pull his blind, as you're taking your daughter to school. If your partner is on the school run with you, does this happen? Surely, until this man pulls his blind, he has no idea if you're on your own or with your partner?

I would be tempted to wave at him in the morning, with a big cheery smile. He then knows that you have clocked him watching you. If there's any dodgy intentions, it may stop him from doing it. On the other hand if he waves back, it may have been purely coincidence and completely innocent.

So glad I am not the only person hung up on the "he pulls the blind down" which to me means closes it.

Is he just hanging out watching the world go by with a coffee?
Do you know him/see him/talk to him?

I can see it would be unnerving if you think he is specifically watching you every day but might just be coincidence?

I’m going to try leaving a bit earlier for the school run to see whether anything changes, as I accept that it could be a coincidence. I’m also tempted to take a photo when I can clearly see him doing it, as I want to document what’s happening rather than keep feeling like I’m imagining the pattern. Part of me wants him to realise that I’ve noticed him, because it’s making me feel uncomfortable and I don’t think it’s fair that I should be the only one feeling uneasy. I’m not looking for confrontation, but I do want to feel comfortable going about my normal routine.

I'm still confused about the blinds but he is not breaking any law by looking out of his window. He may have creepy tendencies he may not. I would give him a big wave as someone suggested.

I’m on my way to speak to someone now thank you ☺️

Maybe he isn't a morning person. Is your daughter very noisy? Or are you one of those parents who seems to think their children are hard of hearing?

I live in a block of 4 flats and know my neighbours pretty well. How long have you lived there, have you never had a conversation with him?

Do nothing he is looking out of a window fgs

There’s also the issue with my bin. Every week on bin day, he comes over to my bin, opens the lid and looks inside it. We have a Ring doorbell covering the front of the flats, so this is something that can potentially be seen on the footage. I find it strange that he repeatedly opens my bin and looks through it, and it’s another thing that’s adding to my discomfort. I’m not saying I know why he’s doing it, but it’s not something I’d expect a neighbour to do every single week.

I was so curious i had to Google. Seems a strange idea but OK they do exist.

We’ve lived here for 5 years and he moved in about a year later

You can find out who owns the flat from the land register. You can also check through Sarah's law if he is on the sex offenders list.

I strongly believe in gut instinct. My neighbour use to watch me through a window into the garden. I hadn't noticed until I was pregnant and at home more.
He was later charged with child rape.
The fucker is now dead. Hoorah.

Why doesnt your partner knock and ask him why hes looking in your bin? And tell him to stop?
As for the looking out of the window, unless his stood playing with his knob, there isnt anything you can do. Just walk on by

Fml! How do I find out?

My partner could knock, but I’m not particularly keen on turning this into a confrontation with a neighbour, which is why I asked for advice on how to handle it.
The bin situation is separate from the window. He opens my bin and looks inside it every bin day, which I find intrusive, and we have a Ring doorbell at the front of the flats.
I understand that someone looking out of their window isn’t necessarily doing anything wrong, and I’m not claiming to know his intentions. It’s the repeated behaviour that’s making me uncomfortable. I know I can walk past, and that’s what I do, but I wanted advice on how other people would approach the situation rather than being made to feel silly for asking.

Man looks out of his own window shocker!
You must be staring at his window to see him peeping from behind the blind slats.
How does he know who is even there (ie you, your partner, your kid ) before he looks out? Your worries make no sense. Just myob and stop staring and filming through his window!

How do you know he’s looking inside your bin? Are you staring out the window at him?!

I’m not saying he’s not allowed to look out of his own window. I think people are misunderstanding what I’m describing. My car is parked in a row facing the flats, so I can see the windows while I’m getting my daughter into the car. I’m not standing there deliberately staring into his home.
I don’t know what his intentions are, and I’ve acknowledged that it could be a coincidence. I’m going to try leaving at a different time to see if anything changes. I’m asking for advice because the repeated behaviour has made me uncomfortable, not because I think I’m entitled to tell someone what they can do in their own home.
I’m also not filming through his window. I’ve put a dash cam in my car, and there’s a separate issue with him opening my bin and looking inside it every week. You don’t have to agree with me, I came here for advice, not to be insulted.

Wave at him.

That's what I would do, just shout "GOOD MORNING NEIGHBOUR! Hows your day?".

The guy might be old or have dementia?