Husband opens blinds in baby’s room

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The baby only sleeps in there - nothing else. He insists on going in every morning to open the blinds and the shutters to let light in because it’s ‘unhealthy’ not to do it (I’ve asked what he means and he just says it is dull without the blinds open). They aren’t blackout blinds, just normal blinds, so there is plenty of light in there during the daytime.

But, I’m almost always the one that puts her down for a nap or bedtime. So every time I take her up I have to try and negotiate fiddly blinds with one hand, while being pinched and grabbed because she wants her milk and to go to sleep but won’t with the light streaming in.

so, AIBU to insist he stops bloody opening the blinds for no reason? He thinks I’m wildly over reacting and it’s fine to pull them down when I go in to put her down for a nap.

You do need to open the blinds every day. I think YABU.

Sunlight is a natural germ killer and I do the same in my DS19’s room every day and open window when I clean, even when he’s away at uni. It seems psychologically important as well as healthy. However, the lots of little jobs build up, don’t they? So ask your DH to not do it unless he’s there to help you out her down for her nap.

Tell him about how young children have strangled themselves on blind cords and what does he think he is doing. You can look up cases I remember it happened years back in house in Notting Hill.. London.

The things that women are complaining about (men doing) is getting more trivial everyday. Count yourself lucky that’s all you have to whinge about

I don't open my blinds because I have a bus stop right outside my house and we only ever have double deckers every 20 mins. But in every other room I open the curtains and blinds. Your DH is not the weird one here.

However, the closing them thing sounds more like a passive aggressive way to get at your husband. You are deliberately making it difficult and more awkward than it needs to be. Just put the baby down while you do it.

I wouldn’t keep the blinds closed all day, no.

They can strangle whether the blinds are open or closed... so what the hell is the OP doing then either?

It feels much healthier for a room to get light and air. It’ll help prevent musty stale air and mould growth. I think maybe it’s worth investigating blinds or curtains that are easier to use one handed. We had both a blackout blind and curtains when the DCs were little, and I just pulled the curtains over for nap time.

This thread is wild.

Tell him to go and close them before you go up with baby.

OP, I know exactly what you mean. I found the blinds tricky with DC1. But I think others are right about airing the room. You’ll just have to put baby down for a few seconds while you do them. That feels like the end of the work when you’re trying to settle them for a nap, but it will be fine.

Sunlight does help kill bacteria / fungi in dust so letting the light in is healthy. I agree with your husband. I would also open the window a little each day even in winter to air the room.

I suggest you get easier blinds to open.

I would open them too. A room that is always dark isn't healthy.
I don't understand your issue . When I put my children to sleep in the way I didn't close the curtains but if you have to have the room dark why don't you put her in the cot while you close them?

I open blinds in every room every morning and also open the windows for at least 30 minutes to air out the room (all year round regardless of weather, storms, snow etc). Its part of my usual routine and I like to air the house.

However, why cant he or you, go in and shut them before the baby's nap time if it is causing you issues?

Agree over-reaction.

Go in open blinds and then pick up baby and put down.

It’s not that complicated.

I think this is one of those small things that couples who aren’t getting on very well at the moment get really obsessed and entrenched and enraged about, when they are avoiding facing up to the big issues. It’s like that “she divorced me for leaving my cup on the side” thing.

When you’re getting on better again (which I hope you will), this will just seem like a trivial irritation, of which there will be many throughout your marriage on both sides.

How completely ridiculous, OP!

Of course the room should get some light and fresh air.

It is really not that hard to pop in and half close the blinds at some point before nap.

The blinds should be opened every morning AND the window opened for the room to air. Limits damp, dust mites etc.

Plus gets a baby in correct circadian rhythm so no need to shut the blind. Just make sure it’s a suitable temp, which may mean shutting window an hour before the nap or whatever. Even if you do choose (???) to shut the blind in the daytime, there’s zero need for one handed carry on. Put baby in cot, pull down blind, pick up baby, feed them. Worse case is they grizzle for 30 seconds, never hurt anyone.

And the award for the most stereotypical Mumsnet answer goes to...

🤣🏆

How about put the baby down, and then close the blinds? Not hard is it

Sun is one of the best things to kill germs naturally. I like to open the blinds in the morning and also open the blankets do the light shines on the sheets.

YABU

By the time I get up there the kids have been shouting and whinging all morning, and the baby (I say baby - she’s 16 months so not exactly a baby but they’ll probably be the baby and the toddler till they’re at middle school!) is pinching me and shouting for her milk because she’s tired.

So the blinds are just the final straw.

I’ve spent all morning today trying to catch up with the housework AND looking after the children because he’s been busy doing ‘his’ jobs so it’s more that he gets to do one thing at a time while I have to be the default parent, always. And when he does something that makes my life harder it drives me INSANE.

We’re not getting on badly at the moment but there’s a lot going on with a renovation, parents being ill and the standard pressures of having young children and both working wild hours. So I think I’m probably snapping a lot more easily than I usually would.

It's hardly rocket science. You put the baby down, lower the blind and see to the baby afterwards.

My neighbour who doesn't work has her living room and bedroom blinds shut all day, every day, and it looks horrible. I don't know how anyone can live like that.

I don't see what the fuss is about with your baby's room. What a lot of fuss about nothing.

But, the room doesn’t smell. The window is open and it’s not musty. I still don’t understand the obsession with opening the blinds, just to leave a room and only go back in to shut them again, but there we are. People are all different and it’s clearly important to some people to do it!