AIBU to love looking in people’s windows!

[LittleRa]

I’m on maternity leave and my baby loves the pram (was a surprise as older DD hated it!) and naps well it, but wakes up when I stop walking. I also do the school run twice a day for older DD. So I find myself wandering around the streets, exploring parts of the neighbourhood I haven’t been to before. I love looking into people’s front windows! It feels so nosy What they have on their walls; art work, photos etc, how their furniture is arranged, where their TV is positioned (and how big it is!) have all become a source of fascination to me. Has my baby brain turned to mush and I need to get out (of the nearby streets) more? Is is terribly bad manners? Anyone else like a good nose into front windows?
Disclaimer- from the street! Not entering gardens/yards and pressing my nose up against the glass! And also not stopping and gawping- always moving along (aforementioned sleeping baby!)

Not more than once a day is every day that you’re going to school though?

@Myxisaprat

Not more than once a day is every day that you’re going to school though?

I was replying to your post that said I walked the same route multiple times a day.

I love looking in windows. I’m not stopping to stare! But a peep whilst walking past is totally fair game IMO.

I couldn’t give a shit if people look in my windows. I do often walk around naked though so if you get an eyeful because you’re gawping, that isn’t my fault 😂

@JazzerMcCreary

I love looking in windows. I’m not stopping to stare! But a peep whilst walking past is totally fair game IMO.

I couldn’t give a shit if people look in my windows. I do often walk around naked though so if you get an eyeful because you’re gawping, that isn’t my fault 😂

Wh6 would you do this? 🙄

I do this. I love winter for this reason. It gets dark earlier so lights go on earlier

But you walk past at least once a day looking in and you walk the same route with your dd? So that’s walking past the same house multiple times a day? School, back, school, back?

I've been lucky enough to be in Edinburgh over Christmas and New Year a few times. People there really go to town on their Christmas trees. And a lot of the houses and flats have beautiful turret rooms or large bay windows where people position them so they are very visible from the street. It is so lovely and festive and, when you see a particularly beautiful tree, it's very hard not to stop and stare. The last time we were there, we saw one covered in the most amazing painted animals and my DC (then 2) would not let me drag him away. I was very embarrassed when the person living there appeared at the door but she insisted on giving DC some chocolate baubles (from her second Christmas tree in the kitchen ).

That said, I do generally try not to stare into people's homes as it is quite rude.

so what if it's several times a day

I walk past my neighbours houses several times a day too, I ...live there!
If there's a house on the school run and you walk past it 4 times a day, so what.

We should be applauding the OP for not adding to the traffic jam by driving, not picking on her for WALKING and doing what most people are doing, looking around.

It’s rude as fuck to look into peoples windows.

The op said she didn’t walk past multiple times a day, which is why I answered that.

I do I love to see what the inside of peoples house looks like. But I never stare. Just glance and if I like what I see I try to me sneaky and side eye it 😂 but if there's people in it, I glance, notice they're there and wouldn't look again as it's rude.

I love it too. And as a return service, I live in a busy area and have my blinds open all day and early evening so everyone who passes by can look in. Lots of people do.
I put on special displays at Christmas and Halloween too😱

But wow, there are some weird people on this thread - I can’t believe you all think it is rude? It must be a cultural thing. I’m Irish and we love being nosy😂

I think it's human nature to be curious about other people and if you're artistic and interested in interiors, home decor, etc it can be a great temptation. On the other side of the coin, can you imagine how horrible it must be if you live in a tourist area? However, I'd love to make myself invisible and actually go inside for a good look around, purely out of nosiness.

@Myxisaprat

But you walk past at least once a day looking in and you walk the same route with your dd? So that’s walking past the same house multiple times a day? School, back, school, back?

Well since you asked:

Monday morning: I don’t take DD as she sleeps at her dad’s Sunday nights
Monday daytime: will have a walk with baby in pram, not on school run route (was doing this today when I thought of it and posted the thread)
Monday afternoon: I collect DD in the car as she goes straight to swimming lesson after school

Tuesday morning: I walk DD to school, don’t look in windows on way there as I have her with me, leisurely walk back with pram route “A” home from school.
Tuesday day time: walk with baby in pram not near school run (different to Monday)
Tuesday afternoon: collect DD- walk there route “B”, walk back with DD so no window looking.

Wednesday morning: walk DD to school, no window looking on way there, walk home route “C”.
Wednesday day time: walk with baby in pram, not near school route (different from Monday or Tuesday)
Wednesday afternoon: my parents collect DD from school

Thursday morning: walk DD to school, no window looking there, walk back route “A”.
Thursday daytime: walk different route than any previous
Thursday afternoon: DD’s dad collects her and her sleeps at his

Friday morning: DD’s dad takes her to school
Friday day time: walk not near any precious routes
Friday afternoon: collect DD, walk there route “B” and walk home with DD so no window looking!

I think it’s rude and unnecessary because it’s invasive. I had a stalker who took great delight in slowly walking past my window and looking in as they passed. I’m therefore uneasy when I see anyone obviously looking.

I also live alone and I’m nervous about my house being cased for a burglary.

Myxisaprat

just... put some blinds
(curtains, shutters, plants, whatever you prefer).

Tuesday morning: I walk DD to school, don’t look in windows on way there as I have her with me, leisurely walk back with pram route “A” home from school.
Thursday morning: walk DD to school, no window looking there, walk back route “A”.

Surely the houses don't change between Tuesday and Thursday? you're gawping in twice per week even though there is nothing new to see.

@slashlover

Tuesday morning: I walk DD to school, don’t look in windows on way there as I have her with me, leisurely walk back with pram route “A” home from school. Thursday morning: walk DD to school, no window looking there, walk back route “A”.

Surely the houses don't change between Tuesday and Thursday? you're gawping in twice per week even though there is nothing new to see.

🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ I keep on replying to the poster who’s saying I’m passing the same houses multiple times every day. I’m explaining I maybe pass the same houses twice a week at most.

How do you know there’s nothing new to see? Maybe someone has redecorated, moved their furniture round or got a new mirror up Lighthearted!
I do think some people are over estimating the actual level of detail or memory it takes. It really only takes 4-5 seconds to pass a house and is easy to notice furniture, decor and wall art in that time.

@fashionablefennel

Myxisaprat

just... put some blinds
(curtains, shutters, plants, whatever you prefer).

I have blinds I’ve already said that. Vertical. And curtains. They’re all now closed, as people could still see through from the road, even with the blinds across. I did already say this.

Sorry, I’m with you OP. On the street I live the windows are huge and wide, think five feet wide. Gardens in front are fairly small, think three feet long.

If you walk past a house, you can see everything with a side sweep of your eyes, not even a turn of your head. It takes, as you say, five or so seconds to pass and your peripheral vision WILL register that 60 inch TV playing peppa pig, the Next canvas above the sofa, that red poppy wallpaper etc.... This is all without even turning your head.

It’s not necessarily gawping, peering, rubbernecking, stoping to nosey, its the natural process of your eyes landing on different point during a regular walk to school/the shops!

Scratch that, I just checked. My window is seven feet wide!!!

It may be nosy but if people don't like it get nets or blinds. I have nets at my windows as I don't like the feeling of living in a goldfish bowl.

How would you feel if people were looking in your windows at your children?

@Cookies2523

How would you feel if people were looking in your windows at your children?

Presumably the same way they'd feel when people look at their children when out at the shops or in the garden or the park or on the street.

@InsideNumberNine

Sorry, I’m with you OP. On the street I live the windows are huge and wide, think five feet wide. Gardens in front are fairly small, think three feet long.

If you walk past a house, you can see everything with a side sweep of your eyes, not even a turn of your head. It takes, as you say, five or so seconds to pass and your peripheral vision WILL register that 60 inch TV playing peppa pig, the Next canvas above the sofa, that red poppy wallpaper etc.... This is all without even turning your head.

It’s not necessarily gawping, peering, rubbernecking, stoping to nosey, its the natural process of your eyes landing on different point during a regular walk to school/the shops!

I concur!

My front garden is about a car length long, so we're not right up against the pavement by any means. But we have a wide front bay window.

I know, from many many occasions walking up and down the pavement in front of my own house with my DCs that even without deliberately turning my head, I can get a panoramic view of our front room especially when the lamps switch on in the evening. And therefore, so can passersby.