To expect the family to know how to keep warm

[CalicoBlue]

The boiler is broken so the house is freezing, luckily we do have hot water. It should be fixed tomorrow.

The kids are completely bemused as how to keep warm. I am constantly telling them to keep doors shut, not walk around in bare feet, put a jumper on.

Are we spoilt now days with constantly warm houses and hot water?

I lived in an old welsh farmhouse with no indoor bathroom for years when I was little. Having no heating now for three days reminds me of then. Having to dress really quickly in cold clothes.

The boiler will not be fixed till tomorrow now. I have managed to heat the kitchen, so we will all have to snuggle in here.

I do like a warm house though, the heating is always on when we are in and the kids do live in t-shirts. I hate being cold.

I hated living in a freezing house as a child so our min temp in set at 18 whilst out and 21/22 when home in winter. It's uncomfortable to sit around, cook, clean etc in ten million layers.

It is definitely true you get used to comfort quickly. We have only had central heating since November and were without it and hot water (electric immersion which I never turned on because it gobbled electricity) for ten years. We always had an electric shower and dishwasher though, and got used to wearing layers and layers.

It's still not what you would call a warm house, certainly compared to my mother's, but it's BLISS! We have to watch out though, as bottled gas heating is extortionate in comparison to mains.

A few years ago when we had masses of snow and temps of -12 outside our boiler packed in. We only had a fire in the living room and an electric heating in 1 bedroom. DS was completely not bothered and at one point was found to be running round the house naked whilst I shivered in jumpers/fleece/blanket. But he was born a Geordie (I think they inject them with anti-freeze when they are born)whilst I'm most definitely a soft southerner

I get quite uncomfortable at my parents when they have the heating up, I find it far too stuffy and get dehydrated. Totally agree you get used to the temperature where you live.

My house is always freezing in winter, I can't afford to have any credit on the meter, so the only form of heating is one small electric heater in the living room.

I boil kettles for hot water to wash in, though the DC do have showers (electric) but I hate showers and I hate being freezing when I come out of one, I dress and undress in front of my wee heater, and it's lots of layers, gloves, thick socks and slippers and snuggle under the duvet on the sofa in the daytime.

When my electric meter is running low, it is the most miserable feeling to be absolutely freezing cold in your house, so cold that the temp doesn't even register 1 degree.

I dream of having a log/wood burner or a good old fashioned open fire!

I lived with my grandpa for a time in a stone cottage with huge single pane sash windows and no heating. The only radiator was in the kitchen which had a stone paving slab floor.
We used to get dressed inside our sleeping bags in the morning and sometimes had the luxury of an open fire in the sitting room in the evening.

If YABU or not, depends on if they have had experiences where they've had to keep warm.
My dc all could - but they go on a LOT of Scout camps, including Winter ones, and hill/mountain walking, kayaking, climbing etc so have all learnt the dos and don'ts of getting/keeping warm.

If they've never had to, I don't see why they should instinctively know.

Dh is forever wafting around the place complaining that he is cold. Whilst wearing a t shirt and pj bottoms with bare feet. Put some clothes on man!

The dcs don't seem to notice the cold but if they complained I would direct them to their slippers and sweaters.

Yeah, British Gas are here to fix the boiler.

I am still in bed with the electric blanket on. DH ran up to tell me BG are here. "Have you shown him the boiler?" I ask "No, I thought he would instinctively know where it is" replies DH. "How would he know where our boiler is" says I. Dh runs back down stairs. I think my family leave their common sense at the door.

So looking forward to having a warm house.

Just reminded me when I was little in the winter. Freezing windows, gas fire for the only heat. My mum wouldn't heat the water until the evening and then the bath water was shared. I didn't wash in the mornings because we wernt allowed hot water and the fire wasn't put on until my dad got home.
I wasn't cold though. I'd of happily sat there in the cold in a t-shirt and jogging bottoms. I had this weird child central heating thing going on!
Now, my dad is getting on and is prone to chest infections we have to have a hot house thing going on!