Mumsnet Talk

I would just like to hear all the views on this please

imo yes, but then i had my own room growing up.

best friend was one of 4 and 3 of them shared a room in a 2 bed house. She loved it, wouldn't have had it any other way. Interestingly, she has gone on to have 3 children (she may have more) and she's in a 2 bed house and the thought of her 3 dd's sharing a room doesn't faze her in the slightest, yet it's the reason I won't have no.3!

each to their own and all that i guess

Children no, teeenagers maybe. Depends on the individuals.

I never had my own room. Never bothered me at all (one of four).

My two have only had seperate rooms for a year, they are 5 and 7.

I would have said Yes, if possible. Mind you, it does depend on the child. DS1 would hate to share a room (he likes playing on his own quite a lot), but DS2 would be happier sleeping in the same room as someone else

Not necessarily. DD is on her own and the 2 boys share. When DH moves job in 3 years we will probably go to a 4 bedroom house, but I don't know whether we'll separate the boys or have a spare room.

Oh goodness, I hope not, else DP and I will be on a pull-out in the lounge. I've know a family of nine to share a single room (it was a very BIG room on a beach in Costa Rica). As we have one of each gender, we're hoping to be able to provide separate rooms by the time eldest is nine, but it isn't likely to happen before then.

I keep imagining posh Victorian families with all the children in their lovely little iron beds in a single room adjoining the nursery and the nanny's room. ( We're missing an adjoining nursery, a nanny, a nanny's room and the iron beds for that matter, but we're in the spirit.)

I don't think children need separate rooms.
Mine didn't share the first few years, but are sharing now, as we moved from our big house in the UK to a smaller flat in Italy. They were 5 and 3.5 when they started sharing and loved it.

I suppose as they grow up they might feel the need of a more personal space.

My boys will end up sharing although at the moment DS2 still wakes during the night so rather than disturb DS1, he is in the boxroom nursery. When we get round to #3, the boys will have to be in together so the baby can have the little room with the cot.

I shared a room with my sister until I was 18. I used to leave lipstick kiss marks on all of her George Michael posters and she used to leave anything I left lying around durng the day on my bed so that I couldn't get into it at night.

If you have the space, seperate rooms are good, even if they are shoeboxes . But it's not the end of the world if siblings have to share.

no
we have four doubles and there are four of us
we use two one for me and dh and one for the beasts
my mother was brought up in a two up two down and she is (mental) fine
all this own bedroom stuff is bullshit

I don't get my own room, why should the kids?

No, children don't need their own rooms, however teenagers benefit from having private space of their own away from their siblings. I shared a room with my sister and didn't think anything of it until I got to about 14 (She was 11) and felt I never had my own space. I seriously considered moving into the cupboard under the stairs at one point! I think the teenage years would have been a bit less strained if we'd had more opportunity to be apart from each other. We do have a fantastic relationship though and I think that's partly because we shared a room when we were younger.

I shared with my sister until I left home. Now I share with dh and usually dd. Sleeping alone is unnatural to me.

When I say that btw I mean it doesn't have to be a separate bedroom, if you can make sure there is enough room/areas in the house for teenagers to slink off to (probably easier now with everyone having their own laptops, headphones etc) and somewhere each sibling has where they can keep private stuff without it being ransacked it would reduce tension considerably. If you can't it's not the end of the world and they'll sort it out, I just think it helps.

It would be better i think. My 12yr old and my 6yr old are sharing atm. It's just about OK for now but it isn't going to be great soon. But short of moving house it's the best we can do.

Mine have to share. We simply can't afford a six bedroom house near where we live. Tough.

OrmIrian, there are seven years between my sister and me, and we were ok

Thanks cakey! I'm sure they will be fine. As long as DS#1 doesn't wake DS#2 with his ....erm...nocturnal activities when they start

thanks people
now I'll explain as I was in a rush before (bit like aibu by stealth except its not aibu)

we have four children ds1 and 2 share (6 and 5 next week) dd has a box room and ds3 is in with us. We are on the market to move and are able to move up the ladder a fair bit more as pil are giving us some money but they are getting a say
I think 4 bed is enough but would insist on a playroom (preferably one that could be used as a teen bedroom later on)
mil thinks ds1 needs his own room (hes currently being assessed for aspergers)

I'm thinking a playroom would give more flexibility as they dont use their bedrooms much during the day but was interested in other peoples opnions and how it works for them as its all theory for me so far

I absolutely agree about the playroom taking priority over separate bedrooms.