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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to give up Narnia?

374 replies

dobermeister · 21/03/2023 10:48

When DD was a toddler I created a Narnia in her room. Basically there was an adjoining room from her bedroom, I removed the door, put a wardrobe on either side, and made the other room into Narnia. It has snowy woodland painted on all the walls, a bookcase, cushions on the floor and is basically a “snug”. DD adores in still and is always in there.

DH now wants to get rid of Narnia and turn it into a storeroom for DDs stuff. This is totally unnecessary as we have 3 other spare bedrooms as well as a cellar.

DD wants to keep Narnia. DH thinks it’s babyish and a waste of space as her bedroom is already a big room.

His issue is that his kids don’t have stuff like this at their mum’s house but that’s not mine or DDs fault is it?!

What do you think?

OP posts:
Bandanadrama · 21/03/2023 10:50

Depends how old she is.

ArtichokeAardvark · 21/03/2023 10:50

That sounds completely amazing - I would have loved that as a child and still would love something like that, to be honest. He is being completely unreasonable, his other kids' set up at their mother's house is nothing to do with you.

AndTheSurveySays · 21/03/2023 10:51

YANBU. I'm an adult and I'd love a Narnia bedroom.

Movingonupi · 21/03/2023 10:51

Never get rid of it! That sounds bloody amazing!

PuttingDownRoots · 21/03/2023 10:51

As she gets older a room she can use as a study will be very useful. Why not let her enjoy her playroom now?

Shes a lucky girl.

As long as your partners kids have adequate space when they visit (not all crammed into a boxroom while she has two double rooms for example)

Greblegable · 21/03/2023 10:52

Where is the stuff currently stored? Can you not build some storage in her room and keep it there if it’s a big room?

spangleswereace · 21/03/2023 10:53

That sounds amazing, absolutely keep it!!
And to the poster who said it depends what age she is, how is that relevant in any way?! If she loves it, keep it!

Anotherturnipforthebooks · 21/03/2023 10:53

If his only reasoning is that his other kids don't have it then ignore him.

...That's assuming that his kids have a reasonable amount of personal space when they're with you.

SarahAndQuack · 21/03/2023 10:55

Tricky one. Is DD your joint daughter, or did you meet DH after she was born? I notice you say 'I' made the Narnia, not 'we'. I admit, if I'd put that effort into something and my DP thought they could lay down the law about it being changed, I'd be a bit cross.

OTOH, I do see where he's coming from, if his children feel hurt. You're absolutely right it's not your or your DD's fault, and - so long as his children have plenty of space when they are in the house - it feels a bit mean, to me, for him to insist on changing something against your DD's wishes.

MrsAvocet · 21/03/2023 10:56

I'm 56 and I'd love it!
Unless you genuinely need the space for other things, which it doesn't sound like you do, I would keep it.

piqueen · 21/03/2023 10:57

he sounds stupid. even If your kids 23 I'd keep it
eve if it was just for my own pleasure

Lefteyetwitch · 21/03/2023 10:58

His guilt for spreading around kids is not your problem. If he wants his kids to have Narnia then he can make it for them

Original poster
dobermeister · 21/03/2023 10:59

We have an outbuilding which is used as a big store room so storage isn’t as issue.

His kids rarely visit now as they’re late teens but they have a double bedroom each when they do visit. Admittedly they’re not decorated as “their” rooms, they’re just generic guest rooms but that’s on DH. I told him to decorate them when his kids were younger but he couldn’t be arsed.

OP posts:
Objectionhearsayspeculation · 21/03/2023 10:59

Absolutely no way I'd get rid! That sounds amazing and if she turns out to be a bookworm she might love it for years to come, my eldest dd would while younger isn't a reader so would probably grow out of it quicker. If the others don't have it at home then they could still create something they'd like even if they didn't have it exactly the same.

WaltzingWaters · 21/03/2023 11:00

It sounds lovely and if you have the space for it keep it until your DD has outgrown it.

MamaCanYouBuyMeABanana · 21/03/2023 11:00

Keep Narnia, get rid of the DH.

Why should your kid miss out because his don't have that at their mums house. What else will that dictate? You're not allowed branded food because they get unbranded at their mums, your dd has to have a bedtime set around what their bedtimes are mums, their mum doesn't want them watching cartoons at their house so your dd can't either.

Fuck that.

Original poster
dobermeister · 21/03/2023 11:00

My thinking is when/if DD does grow out of it it can be changed into her private little study room.

OP posts:
SarahAndQuack · 21/03/2023 11:01

dobermeister · 21/03/2023 10:59

We have an outbuilding which is used as a big store room so storage isn’t as issue.

His kids rarely visit now as they’re late teens but they have a double bedroom each when they do visit. Admittedly they’re not decorated as “their” rooms, they’re just generic guest rooms but that’s on DH. I told him to decorate them when his kids were younger but he couldn’t be arsed.

That really sounds a bit poor TBH. It's as if he wants to punish you/your DD for making the effort and showing him up for not bothering.

Honeyroar · 21/03/2023 11:02

I love the sound of that, could you post a picture?

I have to say I’m a bit bemused that a child with a big bedroom needs a second room for storage. It sounds like a little de cluttering might be needed?

Quveas · 21/03/2023 11:02

Can I move to yours please?

Original poster
dobermeister · 21/03/2023 11:02

SarahAndQuack · 21/03/2023 11:01

That really sounds a bit poor TBH. It's as if he wants to punish you/your DD for making the effort and showing him up for not bothering.

Show quote history

Exactly! When I told him to decorate their rooms he said it just looks like we’re showing off!?

OP posts:
marzipaninyourpieplatebingo · 21/03/2023 11:03

please can i see a picture!! i adore the sound of this!! please don’t get rid! sounds magical!

LanaDelRaybans · 21/03/2023 11:03

Can we pleeeeeease see pics 😩 this sounds utterly brilliant, I'm actually massively jealous 😂

toucaninjapan · 21/03/2023 11:04

Ohhh I'd be delighted to have a Narnia room to myself for reading!
Of course keep it! Your DD will feel betrayed if you ignore her opinion, especially since your DH doesn't have any sort of a good reason to offer

LanaDelRaybans · 21/03/2023 11:04

I'm not 34 years of age on my day off staring at a massive wardrobe wondering if I can make it into a snug. Not me...