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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or completely paranoid in keeping baby's window shut at night?

113 replies

Alphabetsy · 28/04/2011 20:49

House in safe and quiet area. 1 year old's room overlooks back garden with flat roof below it. Garden backs onto woodland with an alley to wood next to it. I know the chances are miniscule but can't help worrying someone could climb in and take or hurt baby without us hearing (we have baby monitor but don't always wake up unless proper crying) DC thinks I'm BU and bonkers to keep windows shut in nice weather!

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 28/04/2011 20:51

YABU and paranoid. How would someone know there was a baby in that room, assuming someone was looking for a baby to steal, which is highly unlikely?

Sn0wflake · 28/04/2011 20:51

I understand, but the risks are tiny, tiny, tiny. You need to chill out a little bit.....or put razor wire on your flat roof!

niceday · 28/04/2011 20:51

As long as it gets aired regularly I would do whatever makes me comfortable. If you are worried, don't open them.

cfc · 28/04/2011 20:52

No, you are NBU. Trust your instincts, and you'll be able to sleep at night yourself.

Could you get something for the window so that it doesn't opne wide enough for someone to get in, in your eyes?

chocadoodle · 28/04/2011 20:52

I wouldn't either, not with the flat roof below it.

winnybella · 28/04/2011 20:52

Extremely unlikely, but I can understand you feeling this way. You'll have to figure something out, though, because once it gets really hot, you can't keep them closed all night.

Could you invest in some sort of alarm Hmm? No clue what am I thinking about tbh, sorry.

winnybella · 28/04/2011 20:55

Yes, something that keeps the window open just a bit to let the air in and alarm on that Confused?

strandedbear · 28/04/2011 20:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BarbarianMum · 28/04/2011 20:55

I doubt there is much risk that someone would come in that way with the intention of hurting your baby but burglars quite often gain access through open first floor window/flat roof combinations. YANBU

mrshess · 28/04/2011 20:55

YANBU i often have fears about keeping sons window open at night due to people may be able to climb in

MrsGrotBag · 28/04/2011 20:57

our utility room window has a flat roof under it so i don't have that window open at night becuase it's easy access for burglars, so no YANBU in my eyes.

icooksocks · 28/04/2011 20:58

YABU-but I do exactly the same thing. My rational side tells me I'm a twat, my irrational side tells me I wouldnt forgive myself. My irrational side keeps winning Hmm

Fryib · 28/04/2011 20:58

www.safety-locks.co.uk/?gclid=CI__3sj_v6gCFQEKfAodZn5Mrg

we use these, very good!

Iggly · 28/04/2011 21:00

What kind of window? Can you have security features/child locks added so it can't be opened enough for someone to get in?

I wouldn't open it at night myself though so YANBU. we've had out windows child proofed though as we do open them in the day to air the rooms (even in winter!)

squeakytoy · 28/04/2011 21:00

Depends on the size and type of the window.

Champersonice · 28/04/2011 21:01

YANBU trust your instincts and tbh have you considered the fact that an animal could get in? Not that I want to make you more paranoid!!

GrownUpNow · 28/04/2011 21:01

I shut the kids windows at night. I don't think it's unreasonable to do so, but the level you worry about a small risk is a bit. I just close mine because it saves them being woken by rowdy teens out late, or drunken carousers walking home singing. Plus it saves any toys getting chucked out if they get up early (yes, my DD does this, when she's not trying to climb out them).

chocadoodle · 28/04/2011 21:01

By the way, you can buy air cooling units for a reasonable price (about £50 from a very well known DIY store). We have the same problem with DS and the flat roof under his window.

We bought one of these for his room. You fill the back with cold water and ice packs and then the fan blows cold air out of the front (or you can just use as a fan if not boiling hot) and you can set a timer for it if you don't want it on all night. Really glad we got it as I couldn't sleep before worrying about the window being open or him being too hot if it was shut.

charliebrownsmum · 28/04/2011 21:05

YANBU I wouldn't be able to sleep with the dc's windows open. I would fear that some opportunist burglar would climb in and while they might not intend to harm your child it could traumatise the child if they were to wake!!
I am a bit neurotic about things like this but i don't care what people think, at least i know that my kids are safe!!

magnolia1970 · 28/04/2011 21:05

I hadn't considered someone climbing in. I keep mine shut as I'm paranoid DD will climb out! Will look into those locks. Thanks for posting the link Fryib.

PanicOnTheStreetsOfLondon · 28/04/2011 21:07

I wouldn't leave a window open under a flat roof either after we caught someone trying to climb on ours to get into DTs bedroom in the middle of the night. Police were certain there was no baby snatching going on just burglary. But scared the life out of me.

YANBU

bonkers20 · 28/04/2011 21:07

It's not an issue for you yet, but when they get older I worry more about the child getting out of the window (sleep walking?) rather than someone getting in. We used to put DS's window on the latch (to let some air in) when he was of that age. Our house doesn't get too warm anyway, but really there are only a few days in the whole year when you'd need to sleep with all the windows open. If it's really hot you can sleep with all the other windows open to let air round the house, leaving the door to the baby's room open wide and their window closed.

I'd more more worried about creatures coming in the window rather than people!

WereOffToSeeTheWizard · 28/04/2011 21:07

I've never opened my ds's window at night as it's on a main road.
You don't have to open the window at night if you don't want to.

Tolalola · 28/04/2011 21:10

I wouldn't leave an un-child-proofed window open in DS's room day or night as he's a climber/wanderer.