Girl and boy sharing a bedroom - appropriate till what age?

[naturelover]

I'd love your opinions on this one.

DD is two years older than DS. We'd like them to share a bedroom so that we can have a study as soon as DS is sleeping through the night (he's a newborn so we're obviously planning ahead!)

What are your experiences of this? Any tips?

We hope to convert the loft in order to have another bedroom so that they can have their own rooms at some point, but not sure how soon we can afford it.

[bargainhuntingbetty]

I think, but dont quote me on it that if you were renting (i.e Council property etc) that they are only allowed to share a bedroom up till the age of 7 then they have to have a room each. Having said that if it works for you then I dont see why they should be made to change rooms until THEY are ready. HTH

[Chaotica]

My two love it -- but they are only 3 and just turned 2. DS moved in recently when he was about 19m, but he was more than ready (we left it as he's an early riser, but DD usually sleeps through his waking).

[luckylady74]

My twins - boy girl- are 4 and would be devastated if they were separated - they get lonely!
I have also read about the 7yrold thing, but I will leave it up to them. Our 'office' is the size of a cupboard so they'll have to be desperate to go in there.
I have vaguely thought about moving walls about so there's a more equal share of space between the bedrooms-could you do that at some point?
My 2 get so much out of sharing a room - I hope your 2 enjoy it too.

[cheesesarnie]

dd and ds1 always share a room-although they each have their own rooms theyve only managed about a few nights apart.they are 9 and 8.were moving to smaller house on friday and i said ds1 and ds2 would have to share.dd said that she wanted to share with ds1,i said that soon sh'd want her own space etc but shes adamant that theyre sharing.which ds2 is happy about too as he wants his own room-so it will work out for all!if at any point dd or ds1 decide they dont want to share we will swap rooms but i think if they are happy then im happy!

[AnnTwacky]

I had to share a room with my two years younger brother until I was fifteen

We rigged a shower curtain barrier up at one point

I would say until the girl is about nine should be ok though.

[francagoestohollywood]

Dd is 5 and ds is 7 and they've been sharing a bedroom for nearly 2 yrs now, since we've moved from our house in the UK to a smallish flat in Italy. They love it!

[izzybiz]

I went to the council when I was pregnant with my Dd, I already had Ds who was 11 when Dd was born. At the time I had a 2 bed house, so went to ask what the rules were on sharing with regards to the opposite sex.

I was told there isn't actually any law, but because of the large age difference they would do their best to rehouse us.

[Georgimama]

I would say that until either one is old enough to either get embarrassed about their bits or start to be generally stroppy and want their own space - so probably when DD is about 8 or 9. I temporarily shared a bedroom with both my brothers for nine months when I was eight and they were ten and twelve. I have never shared a bedroom before or since (well, during childhood ykwim) and I loved it.

[zanz1bar]

dd6,ds4 have shared a room since ds was 3 months, just cant imagine splitting them up yet.

[serenity]

We've just moved into a three bed place (after being on the waiting list for 8 years!) and DD has finally got her own room. If we hadn't got this move, we were planning on buying a sofabed in the Christmas sales and sleeping in the living room so the DS's (specifically DS1) got some privacy. DS1 would have been almost 12. The closer he's got to puberty, the more I've been stressing about him not sharing with DD, not for her sake, but for his. He's starting to get self-conscious.

[brazenhussy]

My DD3-8 and DS-6 share a bedroom through neccessity.
We are in rented accomodation and receive housing benefit and I was told that the rules were that you need:
1 bedroom for every 2 same sex children so in my case DD1 and DD2 then a bedroom each for different sex children once the youngest reaches 12, before that age they can share.
Mine wouldn't be seperated though.

[SlartyBartFast]

in my council area it is when one is 10

[floatyjosmum]

ive always known the age to be 10 with regards to council housing and also the new housing benefit allowances.
My exp neiced and nephew shared and they were 6 and 5 (or there abouts) this meant the new baby could have a bedroom on his own and was easier at bedtime etc and have to say it worked brilliantly.

Dont think you could introduce it later on tho - ds is 8 and dd4 and i think sharing a room would not be an accepted option in our house!

[hester]

I would say 10 or earlier if puberty erupts. I shared a room with my brother till 10.