To try and fit 9 kids into 4 rooms?

[upsideup]

No we dont have 9 children, only 4 and they each have there own bedroom normally.
But next month we are going to have to look after DH's brothers and his sisters DC for a week, difficult but we are going to have to make it work.

We have:
Bedroom 1 -double bed
Bedroom 2 -double bed
Bedroom 3 -single bed
Bedroom 4 -single bed

• 1 single mattress, Double airbed and 2 single airbeds (double can only fit in Bedroom 3 and potentially 1 single bed could fit in bedrooms 1,2 and 4.)
  
  Our children - DD3, DS4, DS8, DD10
  BIL's - DS11, DD15
  SIL's - DS2, DD10 and DS13
  
  Me and DH are finding it impossible to allocate the rooms is the best way.
  We know this isnt ideal having them all sharing but it is what has to happen and it is only for a week so would appreciate your suggestions on how you would do it?
  
  Realised this post looks quite a bit like a maths question (its not)

[MrsHathaway]

DN2, DD3, (single airbed, single bed)
DS4, DS8 (double bed together)
DN11, DN13 (single bed, single airbed)
DD10, DN10 (double bed together) DN15 (spare single bed)

[Flowersonthewall]

Could you put the youngest two in your bedroom then the oldest dds in one room, ds13 and ds 11 in another and ds 8 and ds4 in the last room?

[steppemum]

Ok, so you have to group by gender and age.
I would make sure all kids know in advance that you will have 2 sharing on a double bed (they would be best in sleeping bags or single duvets, don't expect 2 to shar a double duvet!

dd 10, dd10, one room
ds 13, ds11, ds 8 one room
three youngest one room - dd3, ds4, ds2
oldest dd in one room - dd15

you could put 15 year old in with two 10 dds, and split up the youngest.

Some will depedn on who messes around the most at bedtime.
In my house the 3 youngest would share, but I would have had to put them all to sleep in different rooms and then move them once asleep!

[MrsHathaway]

Oh wait, that doesn't include you. Is it meant to?

[ManchesterGin]

1 - double for 2 10 yo girls, single for 3yo girl
2 - double for boys 4 and 8, single for boy 11
3 - single for 2yo boy, double for 11 yo boy
4 - girl 15

How well do these children know each other? Obviously cousins but once a year visitors or once a week?

[steppemum]

Also, will the siblings split up? Who gets on with who?

I have 3 neices, and the youngest always insisted on sleeping in same room as her sisters. Which was a pain as my 2 dds are the same age as the two younger ones, and they wanted to share with them, but no room for them all.
And one of my nieces did not get on with one of my girls At All.

[Tinuviel]

I would put your own DD3 and DS4 in Bedroom 1 with DS2 (SIL) on a single airbed .

Your DD10 and DD10 (SIL) in Bedroom 2 sharing a double bed.

Your DS8, DS11 (BIL) and DS13 in Bedroom 3 - youngest 2 on airbed.

DD15 (BIL) in bedroom 4 on her own. On the grounds that at that age the week is probably going to be hell on earth!!

[upsideup]

Thankyou! It does feel I'm trying to decode an equation reading these anwers though.
Its meant to include us but we do have room for a single on our floor and could potentailly put one our DC in with us for the week, i forgot to mention that.
DH wants our dd10 in with us as he knows she hates sleepover and can be really uncomfortable but I think it would be best to put her with 10 year old neice too.
Our children dont know about the plans yet so will let them have some input when they get home
The kids dont know each other that well but are all really friendly when they see each other which is only about 5 times a year.

[steppemum]

wait, so the 4 bedrooms includes your room and you and dh?

You have got a squeeze on your hands!

If they have to include your room, I would put one/two of the yougest in with you. Probably your two youngest.
But if your think your dd 10 will be really uncomfortable, then stick her in with you and your youngest dd.

then- one room older girls
one room younger boys
one room older boys

[upsideup]

steppemum

No, sorry I didnt word that very well. There are 5 bedrooms.

[Whiskers4]

The 15 year old will probably go to bed the same time as you, assuming that's 10-11pm so she could sleep in your lounge or dining room, that's one less to worry about in the bedrooms.

[Eeeeek2]

I’d do

Dn 15 double
Dn2 ds4 and dd3 bedroom 3 with double airbed (probably siblings on air bed unless they prefer another way)
Ds8 dn11 dn13 double and airbed
Dd10 and Dn10 single and airbed

I’d leave the space in your room to move which ever child into that is causing disruption if necessary.

[GeorgeTheHamster]

I’d leave the space in your room to move which ever child into that is causing disruption if necessary.

Yes^^

[steppemum]

hmm, I think I would still go with my original, which works out as:

15 year old on her own
older boys one room
youngest 3 kids together in one room
2 x 10 year old girls one room

It does mean 8 year old boy in with 13 year old boy, so only alternative to that would be

dd 3 in with you, and 3 youngest boys together, so moving the 8 year old from the boys room to the youngest room.
That depends on the children a bit I think

[DerelictWreck]

Bedroom 1 -double bed + 2 single airbeds so close to floor for small kids = DS4, DNe2, DD3
Bedroom 2 -double bed = DNi15
Bedroom 3 -single bed + Double airbed = DNe11, DNe13, DS8
Bedroom 4 -single bed + single mattress = DNi10 DD10

[SandLand]

I also wondered if you had 2 rooms downstairs, one of which could be used as a temporary bedroom.
And don't be afraid to dhufflevtgem round mid week if needed.
Have fun!

[upsideup]

Yes I guess another option is we could put airbeds in lounge and playroom if any really dont want to share.
But making room for 9 children in the day is going to be more difficult if we turn our downstairs rooms into bedrooms.

[Ellie56]

Just turn the downstairs rooms into bedrooms at night time and move the airbeds into the bedrooms during the day.

How has this nightmare situation arisen anyway?

[negomi90]

airbeds are easy - the fitted sheet stays on, then they get stacked ontop of each other in the corner.
I'd let the kids play it by ear, have an idea of where the youngest are going for bedtime, and then let them duke it out. Plus be prepared for them to change day by day depending on who fought with who.
If your worried about your 10 year old, start her with her cousins but tell her in advance that she can come in with you if she wants to.

[Confusedbeetle]

I think the only way I could work this out would be to have a card for each child and a page for each room and move around all the permutations. Using downstairs rooms is doable just roll up the duvets each morning. You may come to a plan and then need to try it and see, and change as necessary

[TheAntiBoop]

I would focus on keeping siblings together

So bil kids in one
Your younger three in another
Sil kids together
Either your dd10 in the small room or if with you, the oldest of sil three kids in the single

It doesn't sound like they know each other that well and you may end up with very little sleep!

[lynmilne65]

auction them 🤪

[Allthewaves]

How well do you know the kids? The 2 yr old night be better in with you

[bridgetreilly]

Bedroom 1 -double bed + 1 mattress DS8 DS11 DS13
Bedroom 2 -double bed + 1 airbed DD10 DD10
Bedroom 3 -single bed + double airbed DD3 DS4 DS2
Bedroom 4 -single bed DD15

[MacaroniPenguin]

Start with 2 year old nephew as he is going to be the most confused. Does he normally sleep alone, share with sib or share with parents? Then recreate that for him if you can.

Don't have children sharing a double airbed. Most I think would sleep better on just a duvet on the floor, or you could use sofa cushions.