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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to make my kids share a bed for a few years?

67 replies

ZeldaUpNorth · 27/07/2012 13:49

Adds 2 and 3 currently share a room. All the bedrooms in this house are pretty small. I have bunkbeds but because they are only 4 and 2 can't put them in the top bunk for a while. They currently have a single bed (dd2) and toddler bed (dd3) but there is hardly any room for them to play. So I was thinking of getting rid of toddler bed and them sharing the single (1 at top, 1 at bottom) so they have more room. Has anyone done this? Would you do it? Or any other suggestions on what I can do?

OP posts:

D0oinMeCleanin · 28/07/2012 01:17

My 9yo and 5yo have bunk beds. The bottom one is covered in teddies. They've been sharing the top bunk for over 2 years now. Every week I move all the teddies, wash the sheets and remake both of the bed ready for them to have a bed each. Every week they put the teddies back and share the top bunk. I really don't know why I bother.

However, I don't see why a 4yo can't sleep in a top bunk? We bought wooden ones and had my Dad build the side slightly higher. You couldn't fall out of it if you tried although dd1 managed to throw dd2 off once, but she survived with only a bruised bottom

AlwaysHoldingOnToStars · 28/07/2012 01:25

DS5 moved into his brothers bedroom at 2 and immediately claimed the top bunk! Not ideal, but I'm not sure what I could have done to stop him apart from removing the bunk bed! He's been fine there for years, he's only just 5 now.

On the other hand, if you don't like the idea of bunks, then sharing a bed is not a problem.

My 8 year old twins have just stopped sharing a bed (not for lack of beds, they just liked sleeping together) and they fitted in a short divan bed together.

NarkedRaspberry · 28/07/2012 01:28

They need their own beds. According to others that have posted on here, having a bed for each child is on the SS tick list.

SkipTheLightFanjango · 28/07/2012 01:29

My twins went into a bunk bed at 3 and a half. The top bun had a very good safety bar. As long as you don't put a matress that is too deep on the top they are safer than the one on the bottom..twin2 fell out of bottom bunk quite a few times

SkipTheLightFanjango · 28/07/2012 01:30

They are boy/girl twins and shared till we moved when they were 6.

WildWorld2004 · 28/07/2012 01:45

My sister was put into a top bunk bed at about 3yrs old. This was an old fashioned bunk bed with no sides & no ladder. She never fell out or off.

I think its fine for your 4 yr old in the top bunk.

MORCAPS · 28/07/2012 02:34

I think it would be fine.

My boys have the choice of 4 beds and they always end up in bed together.

iMoniker · 28/07/2012 03:00

Single with a trundle bed - they each get a bed and you can roll the trundle away in the day?

CouthyMow · 28/07/2012 03:03

My DS1 was fine on the top bunk of a bunk bed at just under 4yo. Like you, space reasons meant there was no choice. Get one with a removable ladder and take it away in the daytime so there is no playing on the top bunk, put it back at bedtime.

iMoniker · 28/07/2012 03:04

Google trundle bed uk

nailak · 28/07/2012 03:52

I think that you know your kids best, my dds often sleep together even though they have their own beds. I also like them to go upstairs and play an hour or so before bed time, and my 5,, 3and 2 year olds dcs play together fine. They also have a cabin bed, I put all the crap under it, including toy kitchen, ride ons, dolls pram etc, and my 2 year old has been able to get up and down it safely for a while now (he turned 2 about 2 weeks ago).

I dont think there is anything wrong with them sharing as long as they dont mind, my dd5 always wanted ds with her as she said she felt lonely without him!

As for potty training, that is another issue, my dds never really wet the bed,as I waited until they were 3 to train and as soon as they could use toilet I took nappy off night and day and they were fine.

sashh · 28/07/2012 04:35

What about a single bed with a bed that slides underneath? Have it out most of the time but fold it away when you want to give them more room.

kittyandthefontanelles · 28/07/2012 07:12

My twin nephews share a bed.

OHforDUCKScake · 28/07/2012 07:27

My son was in a top bunk from 3, no problems.

Share a single bed for a few weeks, fine. But a few years? potetntially a 6 and 4? My 5 year old would not be able to share comfortably with a 4 year old.

Also, would you really be comfortable leaving a 2 and 4 year old alone in the bedroom to play? If you wouldnt leave them alone yet then it would make the change pointless until you would.

Id have no problems with the 4 year old being in the too bunk.

OHforDUCKScake · 28/07/2012 07:28

You can also get L shaped bunk beds...

GreenPetal94 · 30/07/2012 10:49

I don't see a problem with sharing the single apart from the night potty training stage.

Mine went into bunks at 5 and 3 and no problem - its not really possible to fall out.

MrsNouveauRichards · 30/07/2012 11:16

My two are nearly 2yrs and 4.7yrs. They share a small room, they both have Ikea toddler beds, we would struggle to fit two single beds in there.

We did consider the Ikea raised children's bed (cant link on my phone) it is about chest height on me (I'm 5ft3) and there was room to fit another mattress underneath.

My friend's 8yr old is still in the same toddler bed that we have, so I figured they would be fine for a couple of years, and then we would decide what to do.

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