To want the children to share a bed?

[GreenIsTheWord]

DH and I are having a disagreement atm.

We have three dc, ds's aged 7 and 5 and dd aged 2. We're currently in a two bedroom house, and the dc share the largest room. Ds1 and ds2 have bunk beds, and dd has a toddler bed.

Dd is very big for 2 and has pretty much outgrown the toddler bed, so we need to now move her up to a 'standard' sized bed.
A standard single will take up a lot more space than her tiny toddler bed. The ds's bunks are in a kind of alcove in the room, meaning they fit in and then there is about 4 foot of space before the room 'begins' iyswim.

Rather than getting dd a single bed and taking up space that could otherwise be used by them, i would like to get bunk beds with a single on top and a double on the bottom. They would still fit into the alcove meaning no bedroom space would be lost (and with the toddler bed being removed would actually be gaining space). Due to dd's age I wouldn't want her on the top, so it would be ds1 (7) on top and ds2 (5) and dd (2) sharing the double.

I will add that this will only be for a maximum of two years. We have an investment maturing in December 2015 and will then be buying a bigger house, 3 bed min, so the dc will probably all have their own rooms.

DH thinks it's an awful idea, that a child should have their own bed, particularly as it would be girl/boy sharing. He's embarrassed about people 'finding out' that they share a bed and thinking we're poor/neglectful in not giving them their own beds

For me, I think the additional space in the bedroom will be more than worth it. At ages 5 and 2 (up until ages 7 and 4) I think it's fine for them to share as they're not of an age where they need 'privacy' as such - obviously if they were 15 and 12 I wouldn't consider it! Often I wake to find that dd has squeezed into bed with ds2 during the night anyway, and I think they'd actually be thrilled with the idea.

AIBU?

Could you get a 'loft' type bed instead of a single bed e.g. - www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/90179786, so that there would still be floor space to play on?
The boys could go on the top bunks, and DD on the lower one?
I do think each child should have their own bed, particularly if it's an arrangement to last a couple of years rather than months.

A nook not a book

Yeah I think 2 years is probably pushing it a bit.

I love that in theory fed up - but the bottom bunk looks really uncomfortable to me. There's no head room at all. However, I have been googling and have come across one which is normal bunk beds, with a second bed at the top attached at a right angle which looks amazing (sorry can't link). The bit that 'sticks out' of the alcove wouldn't be that big and you can put storage underneath it.

Of course children need their own separate beds!
I assume sharing a bed is ok when on holiday in a cramped caravan or guest accomodation.

how high are your ceilings?

Also, some alternative configurations here

They don't need them at all. Most children in the world share a bed I'd bet. You mean you think it is desirable.

I love those triple bunks facing different directions though.

too slow!

My DH adapted 2 ikea kura beds to make a triple bunk. We have 5 dc in a 3 bed. 3 girls in the biggest room. 2 boys in the middle room. Me and DH in the box room.

Google 'ikea hack triple bunk'. It is very sturdy. All 3 girls snuggle in the middle bunk, but I feel better knowing they all have their own space if they want it.

I'd go with a pull out bed under bunk beds.

The dream may well be snuggled and cuddles in the same bed. Reality is sleeping on a puddle and waking with a black eye.

:o

Another vote for triple bunks.

It is nice to have your own bed when you are that age. They can have their own duvet cover and their own space.

There is a huge thing on Pinterest with people having beds built in (not in this country) but sometimes 2 sets of bunk beds to accommodate 4 children. Or a triple bunk where the middle bed is at a 90 degree angle to sticks out into the room.

I think a double for the youngest two is fine for the short term, if they're happy to share.

Otherwise, would something like this work?

Or, could you get a carpenter to make something like this?

My kids are slightly older than yours and with a fairly similar age gap, and my concern about kids sharing beds over a period of years is that the relationship between them can change dramatically over that period and even if they'd love it now, they might not always feel that way. My younger two might have been happy to share a year or so ago but they'd absolutely hate it now. (Well, the older one would.)

What about if they shared the double bed, but with a single quilt each?

Those triple sleepers on the ebay link look totally claustrophobic; the poor child on the bottom wouldn't be able to sit up in bed at all.

Do you want the extra floor space for the children to be able to play? I found at that age my dc didn't go off and play in their bedroom independently, they tended to bring toys downstairs to play with.

I'd say if you're planning to move anyway in the short term, then why fork out for more bunk beds which you might not want to use in your new house (the double onthe bottom bunks). I'd be tempted to just get a decent mattress to go under the existing bottom bunk which is pulled out at night for sleeping. I don't see a two year old minding! Then when you move you just need to get a bed frame for the mattress.

I'd also go with a pull out trundle bed under bunk beds.
My 2 DDs sometimes share a double bed when we visit relatives or go on holiday, and they don't end up sleeping as well as one of them normally kicks the other in their sleep or pinches all the covers!

I don't see a problem with it at all.Give them both their own single quilts so there wouldn't be any problems with one pulling it off the other in the night,they'll probably love it.

I shared a double bed with my sister until I was 12,never gave it a thought.We moved house so as to give us each our own room but we would have probably happily continued otherwise.

We shared a flat later on in life and we would often end up reading and drinking cups of tea in either her or my double bed and wake up in the morning finding we'd forgotten to move back to our own beds!

As for opposite sexes,my DD(16) and DS(14) shared a hotel room the other day with a king size bed and a single bed in it. They decided to share the king size (with a line of pillows between them "so I don't end up sleeping in your drool " as that was the one that happened to face the wide screen television (they have no tv in their rooms at home so it was a novelty to them).

If you don't go for triple bunk or trundle bed idea, how about a 2 foot 6 inches shortie bed? I think they are about 5 foot 10 inches long. I had one for DS1 as his bedroom was tiny. Inbetween a toddler bed and a full size single.

I personally find bunk beds a nightmare to make up,let alone a triple. They do look pretty cool though

Is your bedroom bigger.

What is a toddler bed? Is it the same as a cot bed? We had a cot bed that was 140 x 70cm, and my DD, who is tall too, slept in it until she was about 4. Is that a possibility or is that what you have already?

OP said the dc have the largest room, ICanSeeTheSun.

'L' shaped triple bunk looks a lot better for headroom. It should also be workable if your alcove is big enough for a normal bunk.

link to UK supplier of triple L bunk beds

The 'shortie' bed I mentioned up thread can have pull out roller drawers underneath for storage and would only take up a bit more room than a toddler bed. Plus cheaper than replacing a whole bunk bed and could be used when you move. They are on ebay but sorry I don't know how to do links.

Ds3 (7) who is average height slept in his cot bed quite happily until he was 5.5 and we could have made it last longer if we had needed to. I find it hard to believe a 2 year old has outgrown it. I would not like them sharing a bed but think the triple bunks are too high for children of that age.