A minor irritation, but still annoying

Meggiemuggins

I've posted before how we share a house with DH's brother, his wife and their two-year old DD.  We have some friction, but we make do.  They have the main floor (more of a basement) and we're upstairs.  The brothers inherited the house, so each family is a 50% owner.  We're very respectful of each others' indoor spaces (no drop-in visits, the mutual door in the laundry area is always closed, etc), but the backyard is 100% shared.  There is a sundeck outside our kitchen door, up a flight of stairs from the garden.  It's the only door we use to exit/enter the house and we used the sundeck a lot this summer.  BIL, SIL and their DD are of course welcome to use the sundeck whenever they want, since technically, being outside, it's shared space.

My beef is this:  lately, one of the adults will have their DD out on the sundeck playing, and it ALWAYS seems to be when I'm trying to get DS to eat lunch or dinner, or get him dressed to go out or something like that.  But he sees his cousin outside blowing bubbles or whatever and wants to join her.  It's not a huge deal, but it's annoying.  I want to close the curtains on the window overlooking the area, but I worry that it will be rude if BIL  sees me drawing the curtains.  In the meantime, if I hear them coming up the stairs, I try to close the curtains quickly.

First world problem, right?

Amstreagle

When ds was first born we lived in an apartment and I swear every time I was trying to put him down the kids below us were outside throwing toys and screaming so I get where you're coming from.

jesuisfatiguee

If it were me, I'd close the curtains. Either right then or right after dinner, I'd directly address it with BIL/SIL. I'd say something like, "Hey, I wasn't trying to be rude when I closed the curtains. DS was getting distracted by all the action, and I needed him to eat is dinner. Just wanted to let you know - I'm not being a jerk! "

If they are reasonable people, I think they'll understand. 

mishka29

jesuisfatiguee said:

If it were me, I'd close the curtains. Either right then or right after dinner, I'd directly address it with BIL/SIL. I'd say something like, "Hey, I wasn't trying to be rude when I closed the curtains. DS was getting distracted by all the action, and I needed him to eat is dinner. Just wanted to let you know - I'm not being a jerk! "

If they are reasonable people, I think they'll understand. 

This!