If your kids shared a room....

[lobsteroll]

What age did they want their own bedrooms,
Or what age did you decide to split them?

Ours don't share out of necessity but we thought it would be nice (and it is at the moment) but I'm curious as to what kind of ages they naturally grow out of it, when they know there is an option to have a room each.

When they want I suppose. I had to share with a sister.. She'd wake up at 6, wash and blow dry her hair, light on... But if you woke her up... I hated it so much

I've never known anyone who actually enjoyed sharing a room with a sibling.
I think having to share is partly why my two eldest DSs left home young.
DDs bed was barely cold before no4 son moved into her room. He will have to go back to sharing with no3 son when DD is home, but they couldn't wait to separate.

They yoyo a lot in my experience. DSs chose to room split at 11 & 14 & then room share again at 12 & 15 -- happily separated months later (12 & 16). My big DS is an odd one, though. He's clinger towards the 12yr old than other way around.

4 and 7 here still happily sharing out of choice.

I've never known anyone who actually enjoyed sharing a room with a sibling.

I'd agree with that especially once kids hit high school age, with pressure of homework.

When dd2 came out of her cot, dd1 (who would have been just coming up to 5 I suppose) was quite excited at the idea of having her in her room, but it didn't last more than a few weeks.

Then they both wanted bunk beds, so wanted to share again around 4 and 7 I guess. Again, didn't last that long - probably about a year.

I'm quite surprised by YeOldeTrout's experience.

I've never known anyone who actually enjoyed sharing a room with a sibling

I shared a room as a young child with my brother and sister then a break in my own room for a couple of years and then back in with my sister when I was 14-16 until I moved out. we would spend the night talking and I still go round for a sleepover, even with 4 children and we still spend the whole night talking

I'm really really glad we had to share a room again at the end of my time living at home. it really brought us together and I don't know if we would be as close as we are now without it.
we literally fight to stay awake to keep talking to each other because we miss it so much when I stay round with the kids

my nan and 2 sisters shared a bed until they were teens and they still talk daily
I think its important and really helps with bonding in my experiences

My twin girls had 5 months of not sharing at 14. Other than that they shared Through choice. They’re sharing a small flat at uni now having opted to go to uni in the same city (different unis).

Younger girls (6 & 4) shared until the youngests health issues stopped them as it was disturbing DD3 in the night.

DS2 (10) and DD3 currently share because they like bunk beds. I’m not expecting that to last longer than a couple of months.

9 & 5 was when they moved to own rooms after building work.

I don't think I could have got away with sharing much longer.

My DSs gravitated towards each other as toddlers. We’d wake up in the morning and one or other of them would be in bead with their DB. They stayed happy sharing for years, first with single beds then with bunks. It has only been since ds2 started high school that they wanted their own space. So 11/12 and 12/13. The younger of the two still enjoys “sleepovers” with his siblings though.

Two of ours had no choice.

I know we are nationally keen on separate rooms but it isn't too awful to do it. We did make efforts to allow the older one time on their own and we had a garden room to escape to.

I've a friend from childhood who always shared with a younger sibling until they left around age 20/21, they were happy enough they said.

I think it does encourage closeness. Our family has been rather squished and we are very close, also very used to resolving conflict. I try to see that as a positive .

Wanted own space when eldest was about 7.5. They enjoy frequent 'sleepovers' in each other rooms or in a tent or den together. ,They are now 9&7 (both girls).

They are polar opposites in many ways, although they get along very well. DD1 likes her peace and quiet (and is sensitive to noise) whereas DD2 is like an over grown excited puppy who fills any silence and can talk for the solar system into an intergalactic speaking contest. I think if there had t been another bedroom available, DD1 would have moved in the garden shed to escape, or under the stairs.

They'll have to share. There'll be two of them and we live in a two bed house!

May try splitting the larger room at some point a lot further down the line because it could definitely be done.

Mine (boy/girl) did it voluntarily for about 3 years from about 5/7 to 8/10.

Thanks for all of the feedback. Mixed bag of responses.

Mine are only 4 and 1 so obviously youngest can't tell me what she thinks of the situation but she seems happy enough. 4 year old really like sharing for now, especially now that they are going through a bit of a fearful stage (nightmares/shadows).

We'll just take things as they come as time goes on, I was just curious if there seemed to be a natural age where the eldest grew out of it.