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).

It's not that important to me, therefore I don't choose to pick this particular battle. I'm sure I pick other battles that other parents wouldn't bother with though.

ikeepaforkinmypurse That’s irrelevant though, as I don’t live in those houses. I live in my own house that doesn’t have those issues and never has.

Ikeep One teenage boys room out of the whole house isn't going to have much effect on a whole house that is adequately ventilated and has curtains opened and shut normally in other rooms. Mould and bugs are not an issue in some houses - mine included.

My bedroom curtains haven’t been opened for months.

My son, on the other hand, doesn’t have any as he doesn’t like them.

My eldest has a collection of flags adorning her window, so somewhat in between.

None of us have died of mound-borne plagues.

Whenever we house sit for a friend with a lovely big, old house one of the jobs is to go around and open all the doors and curtains/shutters. Doors for air flow and curtains to help stop curtains and windows getting damp and mouldy. Curtains closed overnight in the winter is good for keeping heat in but open in the daylight if there's a bit of sun will help to naturally warm the air inside.

I cannot believe how many people leave their curtains permanently closed! The first thing I do when I wake up is open the curtains and windows to let fresh air and daylight in. Closed windows and curtains makes me think of illness and death

Just been out with my dog past many, many houses and not one had curtains closed. Most normal people don't.

I only open the curtains in the dining room and DDs bedroom. Front room curtains are always shut otherwise the light glares on the TV. My bedroom curtains stay shut because I’m not in there in the daytime. Kitchen blinds never get shut because they open onto the garden so no need.

To be fair, as we have curtains we never close I fon't know why i am defending it. There is however a difference between a home that is aired, ie, windows opened, and one that doesn't have the curtains ooened.

live in my own house that doesn’t have those issues and never has.

good for you! Unfortunately, most people who do live in stuffy and frankly rank houses think they don't have a problem either. As long as you are not a tenant or have a roommate, who cares. It has nothing to do with having a modern or a listed building, I am not sure why some posters think that having an older house means it doesn't need to some fresh air.

It doesn't matter what you do in your own home, but you have to admit that it takes at most 5 seconds to open curtains. How lazy do you have to be to find it too much effort

Ds has a severe house dust mite allergy - his consultant told him to make sure that he opens his curtains every day as dust mites like to breed in the dark.

Dust mite allergy symptoms can include, a night cough, sneezing, itchy eyes, eczema, wheeze/asthma, dry/iratated throat.

I have dust allergy too it’s awful so feel for your son. Have you tried an air purifier to reduce symptoms? Really helped me

They should be opened to let some light in and open a window for fresh air. I also don't want neighbours thinking someone is sleeping all day in there!

A friend of mine used to always have her curtains closed all day as she was afraid of debt collectors knowing she was at home so when I see curtains closed downstairs it makes me think they're in debt and hiding!

good for you! Unfortunately, most people who do live in stuffy and frankly rank houses think they don't have a problem either. As long as you are not a tenant or have a roommate, who cares.

ikeepaforkinmypurse We are tenants and the estate agency does regular inspections. After each and every one we are thanked for for keeping the place in such good condition.

How lazy do you have to be to find it too much effort

It’s nothing to do with laziness, it’s to do with preference. I don’t like natural light and it can also worsen my migraines, so I prefer them closed. Not sure why you find that so hard to understand or why you need to be so rude

Just been out with my dog past many, many houses and not one had curtains closed. Most normal people don't.

I am completely baffled as to why so many people seem to take it as a personal slight against them that some of us prefer not to open our curtains, and even more so that they would express it with such rudeness rather than just realising everyone is different

Some people here are really struggling with the difference between curtains and windows!

many, many houses and not one had curtains closed. Most normal people don't

depends where you live, pretty much every house here has their curtains closed. It's quite nice at Christmas when many houses leave their curtains a little bit open in the middle, and you can see their Christmas tree. The rest of the year, they're closed.

Where do you live ikeeepforkinmypurse I have lived in five UK cities and I can honestly say I haven't noticed people keeping their curtains closed in any of them.

Ikeepaforlinmypurse "at most it atkes 5 seconds to open the curtains". That my darling depends upon how many windows one has .

Just thinking it through. Guest room (not closed in first place) DS's room two windows. 30s walk, 30s to do, hall and landing - two windows, 60s, master and dressing room 60s, bathroom 60s, ensuite 30s, dd's room and study room, 2m, drawing room 4 windows 1m, study/music room 1m, dining room 1m, kitchen 1m, family area, 1m, boot room blinds 30s, downstairs bog 30s.

At least 12 mins here to do all the curtains.

My teenage ds has the same idea as yours. Every morning I open the curtains & 5 minutes later they are closed again. It makes me laugh. I can't get stressed about it. It's yet another phase, one I'm hoping he'll grow out of soon!

DD1 opens and closes her curtains daily.
DD2 has blinds and needs reminding to open hers rather than sitting there with the lights on.

Rest of curtains in house are open. Permanently. Downstairs ones are completely open. The ones in our bedroom are a 1/4 closed permanently, but never completely closed.

Reason to open your curtains and air your bed at the same time? (As well for preventing mold and condensation.)

To dry the mattress out which lessens dustmites in the bed and to kill pinworm eggs!

I'm so surprised to hear that it isn't unusual to leave curtains closed! I have never encountered this.

🤣🤣 I can’t say anything, I leave my bedroom curtains closed in the summer to keep the sun out and keep the room cool, and closed in the winter so no one can see in when I go in and switch the light on. And I’m 44.

They do get opened at the weekend and the window is open most nights.

I do open the blinds at the back but my living room and kitchen ones will mostly remain shut. Windows get opened
If I sit with windows open and blinds open, I get banging on the windows, cans/cig ends thrown in and kids leaning in the windows. Bollocks to that