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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to let my dt's sleep in the back garden?

193 replies

inmyplace · 27/08/2016 19:59

Reassurrance needed. Trying to be chilled. Dt's are 8. In a tent, in our tiny back garden. We live on a cul de sac on edge of a town. Low crime rate but shed did get broken into a couple of years ago. Dh will be in the conservatory with the door open- about 8ish feet away. I thought they'd cave, but no sign of going off the idea. Both just really happy and excited. I need to let them don't I?

OP posts:
mineofuselessinformation · 27/08/2016 20:01

Yes, you do, but you know that anyway.
It'll be a situation of they love it, or never again! Smile

dangermouseisace · 27/08/2016 20:02

what's a t? Terrier?

Original poster
inmyplace · 27/08/2016 20:02

Twin

OP posts:
Purplebluebird · 27/08/2016 20:04

They'll be fine :D Chances are they will decide it's a bit scary and come inside at 3am anyway, haha! (I speak from experience)

MiddleClassProblem · 27/08/2016 20:06

If you're worried could DH share the tent?

I was around their age when I had a sleepover party for my birthday. 5 girls in a family tent squealing all night. A lot of fun!

wowbutter · 27/08/2016 20:07

Yeo, you need to unclench.
They will probably be back in between 2 and 4am.

MothertotheLordsofmisrule · 27/08/2016 20:12

My two slept in the tent recently when I put it up to check it.

Absolutely fine - apart from the awful 'boy smell' that emerged when the door was unzipped.Grin

Depending on tent size could DH sleep in tent as well?

Having said that they will probably hear a mouse twitching in a bush at midnight and come scampering in.

Munstermonchgirl · 27/08/2016 20:13

I still remember sleeping in a
Tent in the back garden with my db when we were about 8. Let them make a memory Smile

Ifiwasabadger · 27/08/2016 20:15

i'd totally get DH in the tent too....

yoowhoo · 27/08/2016 20:15

danger you made my night :)

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 27/08/2016 20:15

I used to do the same- slept on the sofa with door open so only about 10ft away from the tent!

Original poster
inmyplace · 27/08/2016 20:16

Dh in the conservatory was the compromise. They are big swallows and Amazon's fans (all of them) & the twins wanted to sleep totally on their own - preferably on an island! i know i need to get a grip. Smile

OP posts:
Bertieboo1 · 27/08/2016 20:20

Aw this is fab - I clearly remember sleeping in a tent with my sister on our own at this age.

ClashCityRocker · 27/08/2016 20:32

Ah at that age I spent half the summer in the tent in our back garden! I used to be very jealous of the famous five who used to tour the country with their tents, knocking on random farmhouse doors for tea and cakes with the farmers wife,

They'll be fine, dh is close to hand for when they wake up at 3am

Nothing makes an adventurous feeling like spending the night alone in a tent..I hope you will be making toast with 'lashings of jam and butter' in the morning.

MiddleClassProblem · 27/08/2016 20:46

They'll be fine. You might not get any sleep worrying though! Maybe give yourself a few movies to watch to keep you company through the night and take your mind off it x

ClashCityRocker · 27/08/2016 20:50

I'm sure as a nipper i read a book about a boy who camped in his back garden for the first time, and his dad tied a bit of string round his big toe that lead out to the tent, so if they were scared they could tug on it and he'd come.

Christ knows what happened when dad got up to go for a piss.

JellyBelli · 27/08/2016 21:01

Do you have walkie talkies, a baby monitor or something loud you can reassure yourself with?

Hunsnetloser · 27/08/2016 21:06

Not something I'd do. But that's because I'm completely unreasonable due to a little girl being snatched frim her tent in the garden in my local area when I was younger Sad

RB68 · 27/08/2016 21:07

Fantastic - they will be fine. Esp with the native on guard...

dowhatnow · 27/08/2016 21:09

Lock the back gate and tell them to enjoy themselves. DH is a few metres away with the door open. They'll be fine.

olives106 · 27/08/2016 21:09

Me too, Hunsnetloser - probably the same one.

Hunsnetloser · 27/08/2016 21:16

Probably olives it was high profile too.
I know that that unlikely incidents shouldn't effect what you do with your own children, but when it's close to home it's close on the mind.
I'm sure your dt will be fine op but it's still something I wouldn't do

Original poster
inmyplace · 27/08/2016 21:22

Love the toe string thing. Wish I'd thought of that earlier!
Did have the walkie talkies but had forgotten to charge them so they've run out of batteries.
Olives/hunsnet- of course you've just tapped into my underlying fear. Gah. Now I'm twitching more. Will try to be rational.
Gate is locked. Dh is a very light sleeper.
So far it's all fine quiet. I thought they'd be back in as soon as it got dark. Drat! Think i might be the one who gets the least sleep tonight.
Clashcity- yes if they do last all night the crumpets and jam are on stand by. Smile

OP posts:
MammaTJ · 27/08/2016 21:27

My DD and DS (age 11 and 9) are sleeping in a tent in their grandparents garden tonight! Grandad will be a matter of feet away, they are surrounded by a 6 foot wall. They will be fine, but I am 150 miles away and feeling your pain, OP!!

Hockeydude · 27/08/2016 21:29

Not something I'd do. But then I have been a victim of burglary whilst in house overnight. And also seen how someone with a nice V shaped ladder can get over a 6ft locked garden gate in a few seconds. I expect they'll enjoy it but it's not something I could manage.

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