Reasons why curtains should be opened ...

[crimboAkimbo]

I've been trying for several years to train my teen to open his bedroom curtains in the mornings. It's not a huge issue, but I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to aspire to is it?

Thing is, his bedroom is at the back of the house and he doesn't go in it much between getting dressed in the morning and getting undressed at the end of the day. So, being in possession of a hyper-logical teenage brain, he just doesn't see the point.

Whenever this comes up (regularly) I have to go round the "but why?" loop, so I trot out the same old arguments - it's the respectable thing to do, it's good training for the future when you're living with other people, it's simple and I've asked you to do it so why not, it's my house and my rules, no play-station till they're open, etc etc. However, clearly none of these arguments are clinching enough to drive a permanent change of habit.

Any advice? (I know I will get "stop worrying about it and give him a break" but I'm hoping for some more positive steers too).

pretty that's different.

Scutters indeed. Grubby wee Scutters.

How do you see if the curtains don't get opened? Do you have the lights on all day?! If so, how wasteful of electricity.

Never really open the curtains, crack them for 20 ornso mins in the morning when i open the windows then shut them again.

How do you see if the curtains don't get opened? Do you have the lights on all day?! If so, how wasteful of electricity.

Yes, lights on in rooms we’re in. The cost isn’t extortionate so it’s not an issue.

DS goes through phases of this, I just ignore it and open the window every so often and if he says Whhhhhyyyyyy I smile and say smells like teen spirit.

Surely not having exposure to natural light isn't healthy?

Surely not having exposure to natural light isn't healthy?

Since the kid is not in the room all day when the curtains are closed, what has his health got to do with anything?

I am really speaking about the people who say they are indoors with the curtains closed and the lights on!

Surely not having exposure to natural light isn't healthy?

LARLARLAND I’m not housebound; I work and my biggest hobby takes me out walking all over town, so I see plenty of natural light.

I just don’t want to see it when I’m at home, so I never open my curtains. Hence when I am in the house, lights are on.

What a waste oflelectricirty! Shame on you!

I’m absolutely fine with that and feel no shame whatsoever. Judge away if you want to feel superior.

My sister did this as a teen,she talked to her plants on the window sill.She began to think they were talking back,finally told my parents.The curtains has not been moved for so long that several wasp colonies had made nests in the gems and the buzzing was the emergency wasps.
My teen has blinds.

It's a battle I don't bother fighting. I'm not going to sweat the small stuff. Mould isn't a problem in our house.

Bigger battles to pick with teenagers.

I hate when people say that "pick your battles". It's just lazy parenting.You do adjust your parenting as you go, kids are individuals and you need to be open minded, but if you are certain about something, why shouldn't you stick with it.

I don't think it's lazy parenting. It's sensible parenting. I don't know if you have teenagers yet but mone are now 23 and 19. I'd say whileheartedly that non lazy parenting is about much bigger things than opening curtains.

Lazy parenting is about not making an effort to support them and school.
Letti g them play comouter games, ipad, tv ragher than playing or talking to them
Not taking them out or helping with homework, music.
Not ensuring they are safe and self aware and know how to say no.
Not advising re careers, choices, uni's etc.
Not supporting at uni.
Not welcoming their friends, etc
Not teaching them life skills arpund cooking, banking, money, hygiene, good manners, travelling driving.

Bigger arguments to be had over drinking, smoking, drugs, keeping in touch, keeping safe, etc. Curtains less so.

you can do one whilst doing the other, that's my point!

Most of the parenting and things you quoted start years before they are a teen anyway, so it's already part of the routine when they get older.

Another issue with "picking your battles" is that you let the "naughty" one get away with murder: you have one teen who is quite easy going, and trouble free. You will pester him about dirty socks and opened curtains. You have another one who is in full rebellion mode, so you completely ignore the dirty socks and curtains because you "Pick you battles". How is that fair?

I do treat my kids individually, they are different, but the ground rules don't change. Parents do what they want, I have just hated the pick your battles advice since they were toddlers. I just don't buy it.

Light regulates your body clock sitting in darkness all day and night is bad for sleep cycles

But he's not sitting in darkness all day and night, he's barely in there.

Perhaps we all have different ground rules.

Even if he's barely there, I would argue that he would sleep a lot better in a room that has been aired and has seen some sunlight to get rid of mould, bugs and everything already mentioned above.

I also sincerely believe that what you tell your kids does stick, even if they act like they don't hear you and ignore it. You spend years nagging about using the toothpaste properly, airing your bedroom, making your bed and so on. It's a daily fight. Some things will become a reflex, others don't seem to stick.
Then one day you visit their very first home, once they are all grown up, and pretty much everything you nag them about is done.

I disagree with some posters if it's important to you then it's important. I work nights so certains are mostly closed in our room but the rooms get opened because daylight is good and windows open if its nice as well.

he would sleep a lot better in a room that has been aired and has seen some sunlight to get rid of mould, bugs and everything already mentioned above.

I’ve never had any issues sleeping nor any issues with mould or bugs etc. So again, non-issues.

you might not, but I've visited a few houses who clearly are never opened and visitors would notice. It's grim. I notice if my own house hasn't been opened for a week