own rooms or sharing?

[Scorpian Queen]

We have a 4brm house and 3 kids at the moment, so all kids have their own room. We are in the process of deciding whether or not to go for no.4. If we do, 2 children will have to share a room. Just wondering what everyones thoughts are on this. There seems to be pros and cons both ways.

How do you guys feel? Is it better that they each have their own private space, or is it better emotionally to share with a sibling? I'm thinking they would probably love sharing when young, but maybe not later on??

[~Danni~]

HI:wave:

DF and I personally have chosen to try and never put or selves in a position where our kiddies will be sharing rooms (although you never know what might happen in the future;) ) Df had to share with his sister when quite young and hated it so based on that (and some other things) we have decided not to go down that path where possible.

Having said that I know quite a few girls who loved sharing rooms with their sisters, said it was the best fun they ever had!!:D

(just to add on)

I loved having my 'own' space I never had to share (but I was an only child till out of home anyway!!) I always felt like my room was my space and I could go there to calm down, relax etc...

Good luck with your decision!! I am sure they will be happy no matter what you guys decide:D

[draught]

In anticipation of our third child arriving my two girls have recently started sharing a room - and while they are only 23 months and 3 1/2 years old, so far they are loving it. They like chatting to each other after lights are out - and DD2 has stopped calling for us to come and sit with her as she isn't lonely anymore. (She doesn't even seem to mind that half the time she is chatting to a big sister who has gone to sleep!)

I shared a room with my sister most of my life - and a very large dormitory with many other girls for several years at high school - and don't have a problem with it. We didn't expect to have our own room so it wasn't an issue. I think it comes down to how you as parents manage it and make sure that children still have space, privacy etc.

[mrsd]

Funny you started this thread, Scorpian Queen, I've got a big thing about sharing rooms - I think it's really important.

We've got a 6 bed house since last October (technically 6, but one room is a toyroom 'cos it's in the wrong place) but I was determined that my kids would still share. They always have and I think it's better for their ability to get on with others and work co-operatively.

My kids begged for their own rooms and 'cos the baby wasn't born then I gave in and the A, B, C girls each had their own room and I put the younger DE boys in together. Well - whenever guests came to stay they'd all leap at the chance to sleep in each other's rooms and B and C have voluntarily moved back into a room together - they have great slumber parties each night. The boys hate sleeping by themselves, too.

Another funny thing I found was that C was really neat - her room was usually spotless - and B's was shocking. Since they've started sharing again, their room is quite good - C's cleaning must have rubbed off on B !

The only one not happy to share is me ! F is still in a cot in our room (he still wakes in the night and I plug his dummy in) so I can't read in bed ! Apart from that, I had my own room for years then shared for years as a kid and I much preferred to share !

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Scorpian Queen]

Thanks everyone for all your replies, I'm really enjoying reading them. So much food for thought! I know my DD (4) would love to share at the moment. She keeps telling me that she gets lonely and it's not fair - after all I've got Daddy with me, and she has no-one! She has now taken to coming into our bed every night recently, and in fact I just noticed a flash of pink pjs wizz past about 30 mins ago. She was off down the hall to our room, not realising I was still up! Yes, she is now tucked up in our bed....:laughing:

[CJJHRA]

I will have the 3 youngest share a room when we move (twin 5 year old boys, and 2 year old girl) and the three elder boys share a room (14,10,8, as they want to!) THey only sleep in there, so I dont see a problem with it.

[FourAngelKisses]

We have 3 (soon to be 4) kids in a 3 bedroom house. Though two of the rooms are that small that it is basically 1 bedroom and 2 studies.

I have the older 2 sharing at the moment. They don't mind it, though apparently my daughter snores and it annoys my son a little.
When the baby is born, I have no idea how the sleeping arrangements will work, probably put my daughter in with the baby and TRY to get my boys in together.

Lots of people share bedrooms growing up.....people with 6 kids can't buy 7 bedroom houses so that no one is sharing, lol. I had to share with my sister all my life and it didn't bother me as long as she kept her hands off my stuff.

[mummyof5]

I have 5 children in a 3 bedroom house at the moment, with a bit of the sunroom sectioned off for DS2, who does not share as he will get up for several hours in the night if he thinks someone will play with him.:banghead:
At present we have DS1 and DD1 sharing and DD2 with DD3 sharing the other room. Even when we had a 5 bed house, the older three tended to migrate to the one room. They love sharing, though we fully intend to add rooms in a couple of years so that at least the older 2 will not be sharing due to the different sexes. I don't ever intend to have enough bedrooms for them all, so someone will be sharing at some point in my house.:D

[MummyCharmzy]

Currently we have no choice but for our 4 to share rooms.... when we move house in around 6 weeks however we have an extra room but still will have the girls in one room, the boys in another and a spare room (to be filled by a fosterchild in a year or so and then our own new bub in a few years)

It just works better that way and is more 'fair' to have them all sharing. However we're still to see how the girls work sharing together! So only time will tell

[cobysmummy]

my sister and i (23 months apart) shared a room together when our little sister arrived.. i was 5 and shell was 3... and at that point we loved it!!

down the track michelle and nicole (3yrs apart) shared a room and almost killed each other...

my mum then had our brother (oops!) and michelle and i went back to sharing a room and nicole and daniel shared a room (8yrs apart),...

i tell you after having my own room i didnt want to share with my sister again.. being 13 thats the last thing you want.. even though michelle and i are like best friends.. things got a bit weird when dp stayed over... but it worked out... and most of the time i slept at his house anyways..

now... me dp and ds have our own room... daniel and nicole share still... and michelle has her own room... and nicole wants to kill daniel... lol...

im only going to have as many kids as rooms our house has... i wouldnt want my children to share a room... when they are young.. it may work out.. but you dont want 2 teenages sharing a room!!

[SilverStarfish]

Our little house only has two bedrooms, DH & I have one, DD has the other. So she'll have to share when the next baby comes along :) A lady I used to work with was the middle of 12 children, and at one time they were all living in a 3 bedroom house!

[ada]

hi ya all! have have 3 girls in one room 13,9 & 4 i have tried to seperate them iv e had the eldest on her own the youngest on their own and when i have gone to check on them at night they would all end up in the same room , DH said if they want to all be in the same room ...let them in the end gave up and now they are permanently all together i just have to get the wardrobe made bigger ,my son is on his own and now would just love to fill that spare room as a nursery if DH knew my plans he would have said to seperate them lol, but so many times you here chit chat, laughter coming out the room its so priceless and even with the age differences they are soooo close, and dont get me wrong you still hear the cat fights coming out the room too but a good fight makes a good make up lol
and now my views so different if i built a new home i would build a room built for 3 id never try to seperate again. now my son is on his own and id just love to give him someone to share his room with. Dh keeps saying:shame: .not giving up yet,
have a good day all and i hope this helps.
cheers ada