Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

What to use for black out blinds

57 replies

InceyWinceySpidy · 21/05/2023 21:43

We have DTwins, age 3, and find it impossible to keep their room dark.

They are impossible. They make mischief with absolutely everything in their room, to the extent that internal wardrobe doors are screwed shut, and all furniture bar their beds and a screwed to the wall shelving unit, have had to be removed.

They need a very dark room to sleep well. They have two double windows, pretty standard sized, over which are black out curtains, which they swing on and pull down regularly. Even when up properly, the room is still very bright with the sun hitting their room directly and lighting up the edges of the curtains.

The opaque film you can apply to the window worked a treat, until they worked out if one gave the other a leg up, they could pick at a corner until there was enough to grab and rip it off. They did this every night until we gave up applying.

Blinds, they would just do the same, help each other reach it then pull on the bottom until it broke.

What can we do that will be completely fiddle proof please?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Taperjeanwoman · 23/05/2023 10:23

The twins I know would never behave like this. This isn't a "twin thing" this is a behavioural thing.

Ihatewinding · 23/05/2023 10:38

Found the exact version we used:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07DN6KQTT?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

In the Q&A it says doesn't damage walls on removal but obvs did to ours!
Wish had attached to the PVC frame now as seems just case of removing the residue. Leaving the strips in place for a while anyway so will worry about it if decide to move haha.

The velcro has adhesive on the other side (covered with a strip of paper that you remove before use) and we used the rough sided velcro on the wall and the softer side of the velcro on the curtains.

I totally know what you mean about needing it to be dark to make sure they get enough sleep! When we visit PILs they have a skylight that we ended up trying to make a canopy to cover using a black out curtain otherwise our daughter wakes much earlier and is an overtired mess 🙈 winter is much easier!

Original poster
InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 14:05

Taperjeanwoman · 23/05/2023 10:23

The twins I know would never behave like this. This isn't a "twin thing" this is a behavioural thing.

Glad you've got a better idea as someone who "knows" of some twins, than the actual parents of some. Bravo.

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3 year olds General parenting Home improvement
Original poster
InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 14:07

Ihatewinding · 23/05/2023 10:38

Found the exact version we used:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07DN6KQTT?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

In the Q&A it says doesn't damage walls on removal but obvs did to ours!
Wish had attached to the PVC frame now as seems just case of removing the residue. Leaving the strips in place for a while anyway so will worry about it if decide to move haha.

The velcro has adhesive on the other side (covered with a strip of paper that you remove before use) and we used the rough sided velcro on the wall and the softer side of the velcro on the curtains.

I totally know what you mean about needing it to be dark to make sure they get enough sleep! When we visit PILs they have a skylight that we ended up trying to make a canopy to cover using a black out curtain otherwise our daughter wakes much earlier and is an overtired mess 🙈 winter is much easier!

Thanks so much for this, this is what I'm going to try. Will make a world of difference.

OP posts:
coxesorangepippin · 23/05/2023 14:10

But I'd try spending a few evenings sitting outside the room and telling them off every time they mess with something

^

Aye, that'll work 👍

Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 17:11

Haha! Sorry I don't have advice but your twins just made me chuckle. Two little masterminds. I may be biased, not because I am a mother of twins but because I am a twin. Not behavioural. Just twins being twins. We don't have to say a word and just know what the other is thinking. It's not the same as having two children. I don't know what my brother is thinking. But I can't explain how, I just do with my twin sister. Two minds are better than one!

Original poster
InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 17:34

Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 17:11

Haha! Sorry I don't have advice but your twins just made me chuckle. Two little masterminds. I may be biased, not because I am a mother of twins but because I am a twin. Not behavioural. Just twins being twins. We don't have to say a word and just know what the other is thinking. It's not the same as having two children. I don't know what my brother is thinking. But I can't explain how, I just do with my twin sister. Two minds are better than one!

It's so hard to explain unless you have twins, or are a twin. I love what you wrote :) I could honestly bounce my head off the pavement with people and their "two children" thinking they have the first idea.

And yes, the two minds in unison is quite something. They don't have to speak either, they can communicate an entire plan just by giving each other the right looks. We often joke (I say joke, usually in despair with a G&T Grin) that depending on how they channel their "talent" they'll end up winning the Nobel prize, or in a young offenders institute!

In other news, mother's of triplets are superhuman and should be awarded an OBE in the delivery suite.

OP posts:
Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 17:51

@InceyWinceySpidy haha! 😆 Yep it's hard to explain how a look is basically a whole conversation between twins. You are also superhuman. Same.as my parents. I'm sure you'll get lots of... Just wait until they're teenagers scare stories etc but as a twin I have never ever felt alone. They'll go to school and you won't have to worry because they will have eachother. My twin in basically my son's second mum. I love it. They are very lucky 😃

PossiblyPertunia · 23/05/2023 17:55

You need Bloc blinds. I promise they won't be able to break them as they're cassetted. We have them and they're fully black out.

BettyBoopy · 23/05/2023 18:06

InceyWinceySpidy · 22/05/2023 23:22

Twins are not the same as 2 children. If I had a pound for every ignorant mummy who tried "ohhhh, I know, there's only 18mths between my two" I'd be rivalling Bezos. They aren't deliberately breaking to be destructive. They wake as soon as it gets the tiniest bit lighter. Sometimes 4am, and the first we know of anything being pulled down, is a bang at 4am as they're trying to let more light in. But many thanks on your comments on the aspect you have no experience of.... (and yes, we do have other DC, non twins, and strangely, this wasn't an issue with themHmm)

@Batbatbatty we have put something on the outside as a temporary measure, but it's an absolute mess and looks terrible from the garden.

I wondered if there was anything like indoor shutters that would fit in the recess.

@Trixibella I do think the problem would be eradicated if they were in separate rooms, but they absolutely love being in with each other, and they won't be little enough to share for much longer. They read stories to each other and lay in bed singing. They'd truly miss each other, and as it is, they go to bed at 6.30 without issue.

They are just a pain in the ass with everything in their room Grin They work together and slowly push their beds up to things, then they'll bend the mattress in half between them, and one will lay on it, while the other uses the additional height to reach what they need. We've had to cable tie the underneath of the mattress to their beds to stop this. You have to be partly impressed with the ingenuity and working together... but at 3, they don't recognise the dangers in what they do, so bloody everything has to come out. Even as tinies, they worked out, that together, they could lift their playpen and move around the room.

Chest of drawers? 4ft tall and they managed to scale it and leap off the top. So it has to go before someone breaks a leg. Because whilst it's great fun, they're 3 and don't know it's a bad idea. Must be additional needs eh...

Any other actually helpful ideas for the windows?...

Sorry but I've got 5 year old twins who have always shared a room and have never behaved the way you are describing. Ever. It's not a twin issue.

Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 18:16

BettyBoopy · 23/05/2023 18:06

Sorry but I've got 5 year old twins who have always shared a room and have never behaved the way you are describing. Ever. It's not a twin issue.

Show quote history

She's not started a post about whether her twins have behavioural issues. I am a twin. We definitely did dare devil stuff all the time. Maybe your twins have the issue? (Not nice is it?)

BettyBoopy · 23/05/2023 18:20

Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 18:16

She's not started a post about whether her twins have behavioural issues. I am a twin. We definitely did dare devil stuff all the time. Maybe your twins have the issue? (Not nice is it?)

Show quote history

My twins have an issue because they don't destroy things? I'm confused.

Anyway, I hope the OP finds a solution. It sounds incredibly stressful!

Original poster
InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 18:57

Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 18:16

She's not started a post about whether her twins have behavioural issues. I am a twin. We definitely did dare devil stuff all the time. Maybe your twins have the issue? (Not nice is it?)

Show quote history

Going by this poster's threads in the last month alone, where her children are:

  1. 6 and 3
  2. 3 very small
  3. 1 a toddler

I'm not too concerned about her comments. Although I did say to DH, "just watch, someone will be along any minute and declare they've got twins who definitely never behave like this" so there's that Grin

OP posts:
Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 19:04

InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 18:57

Going by this poster's threads in the last month alone, where her children are:

  1. 6 and 3
  2. 3 very small
  3. 1 a toddler

I'm not too concerned about her comments. Although I did say to DH, "just watch, someone will be along any minute and declare they've got twins who definitely never behave like this" so there's that Grin

Show quote history

Haha really? 🤣 Just..... Why? Sounds like the poster has a behavioural issue!

Original poster
InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 19:13

@Lijay1

A particular favourite of DTwins was when they learned that if they shimmied a mattress off the bed entirely, they could, between them, flip the bed over, reinstate the mattress on the other side, and create their own ski slope. Waking up to "Weeeeeeeeee down the hill" crash got us moving at 5am, I can tell you Grin

OP posts:
caringcarer · 23/05/2023 19:16

My adult DS just got some black thick corduroy curtains from a charity shop for £5. His gf took them up and they say total blackout.

Hazelnuttella · 23/05/2023 19:27

One thing that we do for extra darkness is roll up a duvet cover and lie it across the top of the curtain pole, to stop the light coming in that way. May not work for your situation though.

My DH is a twin and the stories his mum tells about when they were little are terrifying. They used to jump from the top of the stairs to the bottom!

Lijay1 · 23/05/2023 19:39

InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 19:13

@Lijay1

A particular favourite of DTwins was when they learned that if they shimmied a mattress off the bed entirely, they could, between them, flip the bed over, reinstate the mattress on the other side, and create their own ski slope. Waking up to "Weeeeeeeeee down the hill" crash got us moving at 5am, I can tell you Grin

Omg that is brilliant! 🤣 The thought that has gone into that is impressive! At 5am I'm sure it wasn't as funny as it sounds now. You might be right about them winning a Nobel prize! Ah man I suddenly want to share a room with my twin again. We shared until my brother moved out when we were 16. Even when we had our own bedrooms though we had sleepovers in eachothers rooms every night!

Original poster
InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 19:50

Mamabear04 · 23/05/2023 19:28

Something like this would be ideal if I knew it was strong enough not to be slowly wiggled off. They give each other a leg up so they can reach the bottom of the window itself, and can then pull at whatever is there.

Do you think they could pull the blind out of its "socket" so to speak, or slice their hands on the slats?

OP posts:
Original poster
InceyWinceySpidy · 23/05/2023 19:54

Hazelnuttella · 23/05/2023 19:27

One thing that we do for extra darkness is roll up a duvet cover and lie it across the top of the curtain pole, to stop the light coming in that way. May not work for your situation though.

My DH is a twin and the stories his mum tells about when they were little are terrifying. They used to jump from the top of the stairs to the bottom!

We're going to do this tonight actually, to see how much darker it makes it.

And we have yet (touches wood frantically) had a trip to A&E... But this is exactly what it's going to be for. Girl twin believes she has "powers" and is therefore invincible.

Lord, help us Grin

OP posts:
AnnoyedByAlfieBear · 23/05/2023 19:56

Foil is the answer. Use a sponge to dampen the glass and cover with foil. It sticks for ages (without kids learning to peel it off). So long as you get past the cannabis farm look.

Squidger45 · 23/05/2023 20:00

Shutters? That can be child proofed?

Bigoldmachine · 23/05/2023 20:08

We also did blackout material velcroed to the window frame (sticky Velcro on the frame, sew on Velcro on the fabric). Search for blackout lining fabric. You won’t even need to hem it as it doesn’t fray (it’s quite synthetic but should have a fire retardant certification).
worked a treat, very easy to do and yes easy to put back up if it gets pulled off.

Unicorn2022 · 23/05/2023 20:21

You could try the opaque film again but smear coconut oil on the corners so they can't get a grip to pull it off. We also used to wet the windows and stick tin foil to the glass, and smear coconut oil on that so they couldn't get a grip. Make sure you keep their nails short.