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Parenting

Downstairs Bedroom - How Old?

12 replies

easylife73 · 02/10/2009 20:55

Does anyone have a child in a downstairs bedroom, and if so, from what age would you say it's appropriate?

The reason I ask is that we are in the early stages of considering whether to have a DC3. We had an extension done upstairs last year to create a third beedroom so that DS1 and DS2 could each have their own room, but we do have a downstairs bedroom that we currently use as an office, as our house is a converted bungalow.

DS1 is 9 at the moment and DS2 is nearly 7 - if we did have another child it would probably not be for about 2 years, amking them about 11 and 9 respectively.

The downstairs room is right by the front door and you can't really hear anyhting that goes on it from upstairs.

Would you consider moving one of the kids into it, or do you think it would be a bit dodgy?

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Nowtheres4 · 02/10/2009 20:58

my 12 yr old will be in a downstairs bedroom from tomorrow (we move house), and my friends has a converted bungalow and her ds1 sleeps in the bedroom next to the front door. hes 11 now and has slept in that room for the last 3 or 4 years.

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oldraver · 03/10/2009 02:27

We moved to our house when DS1 was 12 and he chose a downstairs room (probably as it had an ensuite and has always loved it. I have been thinking to the future and when DS2 outgrows his cotbed/ needs his nursery-ish room updating, I am thinking of moving him to a downstairs room if he wants to

It has been nice having DS1 downstairs as he could retire to his room with all his things and a bit of privacy but not too far away that I didnt feel he was shut away in his room IYKWIM

Only thing I did insist on (and this maybe me being paranoid) is no windows open at night

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TrillianAstra · 03/10/2009 03:09

How do you think it would be dodgy? I had a friend at school whose family home was a bungalow, so everyone's bedroom was downstairs from the time they had a bedroom. Equally plenty of people live in ground floor flats.

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WhatSheSaid · 03/10/2009 06:31

My dd has been in a downstairs bedroom since she was 10 months old! We have an upside down house - living room, kitchen, bathroom, main bedroom (ours) upstairs and two bedrooms, bathroom and garage downstairs.

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WynkenBlynkenandNod · 03/10/2009 06:43

My DS moved into one when he was 5. We have a two way monitor so I can speak to him if he needs us very quickly and I can reassure him we are coming, though haven't needed to do this yet.

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easylife73 · 03/10/2009 09:27

I wasn't thinking it would be dodgy simply because it's downstairs - obviously loads of people have downstairs bedrooms in bungalows etc - more that it seems so far away from everyone else at night! You literally can't hear a thing in our bedroom, even with the door slightly open, not even the doorbell, so I know if he needed me I wouldn't be able to hear him calling. I don't think he'd like the idea of a monitor at his age, although the thought had crossed my mind!

They've always been very good at staying in bed once they're in, so I don't think he'd be keen on walking all the way through a dark house to come and find me if he needed me. On the other hand, I think he'd like the idea of it being more 'grown up' and away from his brother (like Oldraver's son), as he doesn't tend to drop off until about 10pm already most nights, and is starting to question why he has to turn his light off at the same time as his brother. His brother gets very upset if he perceives that he isn't getting equal treatment though! So I can see that it could work out very well...

But - when I go up to bed at night, the thought of leaving one of my boys isolated downstairs with everyone else safely upstairs seems wrong somehow!

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daftpunk · 03/10/2009 09:31

i'd sleep downstairs...keep all the dc upstairs together.

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easylife73 · 03/10/2009 10:27

Daftpunk - not a possibility, although I would take that route if it were. The downstairs room is not big enough to fit a double bed in, as it was originally the second bedroom of a small(ish) bungalow.

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daftpunk · 03/10/2009 10:40

oh i see....your thread caught my eye as we were in the same posistion last year..(our ds was 8)....we eventually moved into the downstairs room and kept ds upstairs....

the room is big enough for us though..well, just about.....if it hadn't of been ds would be in there.

at least you have the room for manoeuvre...

good luck!

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fairygirl3 · 03/10/2009 10:48

i would say if your ds is happy with moving down there then its fine.we had to move someone downstairs,ds then 11 wanted to move down but dd9 said was no way she would ever want to.

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flaime · 03/10/2009 10:50

We have an upside down house too, so we have 2 beds on the ground floor with the lounge, kitchen etc and 2 downstairs on their own.

When we first moved in we had one downstairs room and put both our DDs into the other one, but when DD1 was about 3 when she moved into her upstairs room on her own, my other DD was about 2 when she moved into the other upstairs room. Both rooms are near the front door.

We had a bit of a worry as we had a stair gate to get through for them to get downstairs but we've never had a problem with them and they've never minded.

Suppose it will feel wierd for a while but you get used to it quickly.

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easylife73 · 03/10/2009 10:53

Thanks everyone, your reassurances that I wooldn't be abandoning my son have been very useful!

I've now started to worry about whether he'd ever go to bed properly, or whether he'd want to stay up in the living room with us! Obviously they both will as they get (a lot) older but I really value my peaceful evenings!