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AIBU?

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:

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cherryburton · 30/04/2011 19:52

I wouldn't for two reasons:

Remember a few years ago in the NE a man climbed in through a window and abducted a girl from her bath whilst her mum was in the next room? That would be in my head...

2. Wasps. Hate 'em. Or anything else flappy or flickery (moths, daddy long legses)

Actually, make that three reasons: I am slightly neurotic and would lie awake thinking about worst case scenarios even though they're not likely and it just would not be worth it. So I think YANBU, but I might be a bit of a loon when it comes to stuff like this though...

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vmcd28 · 30/04/2011 19:57

Choufleur, is there nothing you're paranoid about?
Nobody said the world is full of baby snatchers etc etc but I don't leave my baby at the back door in this weather for the same reasons.
It's a fact that burglars look for the easiest points of entry, so an open window above a flat roof seems fairly likely, actually

The op's baby isn't coming to any harm with the window being closed, so what's the big deal?

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onadietcokebreak · 30/04/2011 20:48

A burglar did get in via an flat roof and a open window my free spirit flat mate left open whilst she went away for the weekend. Her door was Yale locked so I couldn't get in to shut it. Didn't stop the bloody burglar roaming around the house whilst I was locked in my too
Waiting for the police.

Easy access. Just not worth it.

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Choufleur · 30/04/2011 22:07

I don't think there are really many burglars around who are out and about looking to snatch babies. I may not leave a window open cos they will nick my ipod but I really doubt they would take Ds as well.

Buy some spikey stuff to stuff the stick on the flat roof and some anti climbing paint.

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peppapighastakenovermylife · 30/04/2011 22:22

chofleur - you forgot the influx of foxes climbing in upstairs windows

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trixymalixy · 30/04/2011 22:31

Kersley that sounds absolutely terrifying!!

I wouldn't leave my kids windows opened at night unless there was a lock to prevent them being opened fully. We have been burgled several times, an open window is just an open invitation to be burgled.

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vmcd28 · 30/04/2011 22:44

Chofleur, my point was that we're all paranoid about something, so it's actually irrelevant whether anyone thinks it's irrational or not, but there's no need to laugh at those fears.
And you might be happy if a burglar was wandering around your baby's room looking for an ipod, but most of us aren't ok with that possiblility. If I had a flat roof under my ds's room there's no way I'd leave it open. Is her baby going to suffer with having no fresh air for 12hrs a night? Doubtful.

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Heifer · 30/04/2011 23:36

I didn't leave my DD window open until she was around 2 and we moved to ahouse with window locks. I didn't realise they existed until then!

Brilliant invention. Can open the window ajar and still be locked. Problem solved...

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mammypig · 30/04/2011 23:45

What about tilt and turn windows? Do people feel the same way about them?

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hairfullofsnakes · 01/05/2011 04:46

Definitely buy child safety locks for windows - they will be handy later. Or keep baby's door open and a window in another room open? Yanbu by the way!

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HipHopOpotomus · 01/05/2011 05:09

I'd have some kind of lock on the window so I could have it open with peace of mind (fresh air freak here)

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nooka · 01/05/2011 06:53

I always have the window open at night and usually the children do too (they are old enough to make their own choice now). Our house insurance in London required us to have window locks on all the ground floor windows, so I am surprised that they aren't common knowledge - they are quite cheap and easy to install. I think it's nuts to be worrying about baby snatchers, but realistic to worry about burglars, and an easily accessible window on a flat roof probably is a bit of an invitation. I'd be inclined to think about how to make the roof less inviting, or possibly putting some bars across the window.

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Chil1234 · 01/05/2011 07:58

YABU.

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Panzee · 01/05/2011 08:05

It's really noisy at night outside our house, particularly at the weekend, because it's a main route home for the drunks. So the windows are shut. He seems to cope.

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vmcd28 · 01/05/2011 15:32

Agreed. Babies don't need windows open. I'm not sure why some posters are making such a big deal out of it, tbh.

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QueenOfFeckingEverything · 01/05/2011 15:44

YABabitparanoidifnotactuallyU.

But then I speak as someone who doesn't even lock (or even shut, when its hot) the door at night [shrug]

Get some of those thingies that limit how much they can open.

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heleninahandcart · 01/05/2011 16:39

Would any of you leave your most valued items on a bed in a room with an open window? That IS one of the most common entry points. Very unlikely planned baby snatch would occur but what drugged up burglar would take care not to accidentally injure, smother etc. YANBU

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howdoyoueatyours · 01/05/2011 16:47

I have all the windows slightly open pretty much all the time. We have the feature were you can lock them partly open though. I don't think it's paranoid to have the windows closed/with locks on on the upper floors of a house with kids in. More that I would be scared of them climbing up, if they're mobile, than anyone coming in though.

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jellybeans · 01/05/2011 16:53

YANBU that would scare me especially with the flat roof!!
I shut my kids windows or have them on a small vent which locks. luckily their rooms don't get very hot even in hot weather.

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MissBetsyTrotwood · 01/05/2011 16:55

Our back windows, like many in the houses around here open dangerously wide. Most people have nailed wooden bars across the lower half of the window, so smallies can't get out and others can't get in.

Yanbu about the flat roof. I'd have the willies too, rational or not!

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howdoyoueatyours · 01/05/2011 17:02

Also I don't think you're being unreasonable about the slight risk of weirdos and animals. Like a pp said most burglers are drug addicts and who knows what they'd do if they were drugged at the time.
I assume that the people who think you are being paranoid put their babies moses basket in the garden on really hot nights

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SauvignonBlanche · 01/05/2011 17:03

We have exactly the same scenario in DD's room so have fitted locks which allow the window to open but only a bit.

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ChristinedePizan · 01/05/2011 17:08

I am very laissez-faire about risks that people generally get into a flap about on MN (leaving children in cars for 5 mins/allowing playing in garden and house out of sight etc) but I fitted window locks to my DS's room when we lived in a basement flat so you could only open the windows about 4 inches.

It wasn't so much the baby snatchers I was worried about, it was anyone getting in. Burglary was absolutely rife where we lived

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LooloosMummy · 01/05/2011 19:13

YANBU i always used to keep the window locked in my son's room, not because of someone getting in but because i didn't want him climbing out with out me knowing about it!

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HellNoSayItAintSo · 01/05/2011 19:21

Have you ever, in your life, heard of anyone climbing in through a window like that to steal a baby? No. YABU, and paranoid.

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