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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that DD(8) and DD(1) will always have to share a room when older?

135 replies

roomnightmare · 29/07/2025 14:36

NC’d

I have 3DC: DD 8, DS 6 and DD under 1. DD2 is my DH’s child, older two have a different (same) dad. Before I get comments about bad planning, DD2 was a, very usually reliable, contraceptive failure. Obviously I’m thrilled she’s here now but we didn’t plan at all on having more children.

Currently in a two bedroom flat with a home office that we’ve made DS’ room. It has a high rise bed with his drawers and toys underneath and that’s it, it’s very small. We’d always planned to upsize but we can only afford a 3 bed here and even then, not many are in our price range. We can’t leave the area for so many logistical reasons and even if we could, DD8 would struggle greatly with moving and it would be detrimental to her happiness and well-being.

DS would actually love to share a room with DD2 but that’s not feasible long-term. DD2 is still in our room and will be until we move.

We’re viewing a 3 bedroom house which I’m trying not to get too excited about but would be ideal in terms of it being 3 proper bedrooms and it also has a very small home study which would mean that DD2 could have a cot/toddler bed in it and that she wouldn’t need to share with DD8 until she was out of the toddler years. But given that we can’t widen our potential area, AIBU to think that they will always need to share a room? Dining rooms are very rare here and if you’re lucky you might get a kitchen diner but not a separate dining room. I feel bad for DD8 as when she’s a teenager it won’t be amazing for her; I’d mitigate it as much as I could by letting her have friends round and either giving them the lounge or the bedroom and keep DD2 downstairs or in my room when she wants her friends over and again giving her peace to study when it comes to it. Has anyone else been in this situation? I feel like a bad mum but 3 bedrooms are usually £150k less than 4 bedrooms here and I don’t have that extra £150k+.

Sorry if the DD 2 is confusing, I just mean my second DD who is a baby.

OP posts:
Imnotsurewhattodobaby2 · 29/07/2025 14:54

luckylavender · 29/07/2025 14:52

It’s not that unusual though

Ok, I’m just answering OP’s question like she asked x

Benby · 29/07/2025 14:53

We live in a 3 bed house and we have 4 children 3 girls and 1 boy. Our son has the boxroom and our daughters aged 16, 14 and 8 share the biggest room. We were saving to get an attic conversion and our girls asked us not to bother as they liked sharing and no one wanted to be on their own so no point in spending all that money for nothing. They have their arguments and one girl is very messy but they get along most of the time and they are very close as result in fact if my son had his way he would like to be in their room too but at 11 he's too old to share with them. It is working well for us so maybe don't worry too much and enjoy your children. Its not the end of the world if they share s room

roomnightmare · 29/07/2025 14:53

@Imnotsurewhattodobaby2in both our house and the one we’re viewing, the second (DD’s current room) and the third in the house we’re viewing, the room is a loft conversion with slanted ceilings so you can’t split it as you can’t stand straight on one side. Not that DD’s room is big enough anyway currently to split regardless of the ceiling. I hear you though re period and privacy.

OP posts:
luckylavender · 29/07/2025 14:52

Imnotsurewhattodobaby2 · 29/07/2025 14:48

I’d do anything I could so that DD8 and DD1 do not have to share in the future. I can’t imagine being 14 and starting my period and having my 7 year old sister with me. There’s no privacy. If that means trying to find a home with a slightly bigger study to fit in a single bed (box room) or having the option for a loft conversion then I’d do that. Could you split a room in 2?

It’s not that unusual though

roomnightmare · 29/07/2025 14:50

So the third bedroom is a loft conversion in both our current home and the one we’re looking at. For arguments sake, forget I mentioned the office as through p two years of looking at homes, this is the second time I’ve seen it, it’s really uncommon and if this one doesn’t work out, the likelihood is we wouldn’t find it again.

OP posts:
Imnotsurewhattodobaby2 · 29/07/2025 14:48

I’d do anything I could so that DD8 and DD1 do not have to share in the future. I can’t imagine being 14 and starting my period and having my 7 year old sister with me. There’s no privacy. If that means trying to find a home with a slightly bigger study to fit in a single bed (box room) or having the option for a loft conversion then I’d do that. Could you split a room in 2?

NuffSaidSam · 29/07/2025 14:43

Are any of the rooms big enough to be split into two? Or could you have a loft conversion done?

roomnightmare · 29/07/2025 14:43

@Barnbrackyou wouldn’t fit a single size bed in this room, just a toddlers and that’s it. It’s an office, not a bedroom.

OP posts:
Barnbrack · 29/07/2025 14:40

Or offer DD1 tge option of swapping to the small room later for privacy while using dd2s room for storage as teenagers don't need room to play while young kids do? And I say this as someone who always shared with 3 sisters

Barnbrack · 29/07/2025 14:39

Can dd2 just stay in the small room until dd1 is a teenager and off to uni or whatever? Assuming she does that? Just used dd1s room for all their storage but dd2 sleeps in the officey room?