Downstairs bedroom

[glitteristhenewblack]

Looked at a house this weekend and basically our bedroom would have to be downstairs and children upstairs. I can't stop thinking it would feel really weird sleeping downstairs.. AIBU? Would it be fine sleeping downstairs? Incidentally I did live in a ground floor flat so obviously slept downstairs then... but it did feel weird!

How old are the dc? We looked at a house with most of the living area and 2 bedrooms upstairs and two more bedrooms downstairs so one or both dc would have to be on a different floor. They were both under 10 at the time but we said they’d probably love it when older.

Our master bedroom is downstairs, dc1 upstairs (dc2 still in with us)

I thought it was weird at first but have gotten used to it. Sure it will be amazing when they’re noisy teens!

They are 5 and 3, they share a room, so would put a stair gate at the top of the stairs. Potentially having another baby, so they'd be in with us for a while and then when ready for own room, the other downstairs bedroom, as I don't particularly want to be going up and down stairs with night waking!! Then I'd be worried about someone breaking in and stealing the baby on the ground floor........!

It wouldn’t necessarily bother me depending on the bathrooms. If there were no toilets downstairs I probably wouldn’t buy it unless it was otherwise perfect because I wouldn’t want to have to go upstairs if I needed the loo in the middle of the night - although we are looking at buying a new house at the moment and lots round here have bedrooms upstairs and bathroom downstairs so maybe I’m just fussy to not like them being on different floors. I also wouldn’t like it if the downstairs bedroom was at the front of the house and had a pavement going past it.

If it looked out onto a back garden and there was a toilet (even better a shower or bath as well) downstairs I wouldn’t be specifically bothered by the bedroom being downstairs.

@nervousseacreature that reminds me, I used to babysit for someone who's bedroom was on the top floor and both children's bedrooms were downstairs...! I would be terrified, I don't know why. One of them was under 1 as well!

The house I grew up in was a dormer bungalow and my parents slept in the downstairs bedroom (and still do).

It has never presented any problem that I'm aware of. I didn't know any different so seemed perfectly normal to me.

@MeredithGrey1 very good points! There's a toilet upstairs and bathroom downstairs (with toilet!) I do feel weird about the bathroom being downstairs, but lots in this area are! It's just not the norm for me so would take some getting used to. Also no real pavement outside as it's at the end of a lane but someone could still walk down there and look in the window!!!!

@shaggedthruahedgebackwards I guess it's just what you're used to isn't it! I think I'm reading into it a bit too much!

I lived ground floor in student halls and live in a student bungalow. Next year if we get a house I'm having the downstairs room. It wouldn't bother me at all I don't think. I would not have children sleep downstairs at all. I know too much about crime statistics (job and area of study) and backed up buy the guy I like (and in a odd relationship with who works very high up within the national crime agency) I mean the odds are low for crime but I'm prone to anxiety and he works in an area that has opened his eyes to the risks and crime rates.

We have a bungalow and got a loft conversion. DD sleeps downstairs, we sleep upstairs. It's never occurred to me that it might be odd or not safe and I am quite an anxious person! We do use a baby monitor because of the layout of the house though (she's 5).

We used only the main floor rooms when our dc were small - the largest room/bedroom was downstairs (on a hill, you entered on one floor and went downstairs to the back door) and they shared whereas our neighbour (identical house) slept downstairs, is this an option while they are young, move downstairs in the future

We have 3 bedrooms - and 3 dc. The 12 yr old sleeps downstairs, and the rest of us upstairs. It wasn't what I was looking for in a house and pretty much ticked none of our boxes, but I absolutely love it here and it is a compromise I am more than happy to make.

Though ask me again in a couple of years when she is sneaking in and out

Sorry I wasn't clear - it is a 3 bedroom house, but the '4th bedroom' is downstairs in the garage conversion.

I'd hate it - you can't sleep with your windows open (well, I wouldn't)

We looked at a house like this. I was a bit worried about fire risk - not being on same floor as young kids.

It would have to be an extremely skinny person to be able to squeeze through the tiny top light on my bedroom window! I haven’t noticed any disadvantages from having a downstairs bedroom other than having to be zealous about closing the curtains ( you can’t do the old trick of ducking down below window level so you can’t be seen). And you have to keep the door shut otherwise visitors see into your bedroom.

My DC are upstairs and it is a bit tricky because there’s a stair gate so they can’t just wander in during the night, they have to yell and I go upstairs. Not ideal but not a deal breaker if the house is otherwise fabulous.

I grew up in a house like that. The only downside was trying to sneak in late as teenagers; our parents’ bedroom was close enough to the front door for it to be impossible to sneak in without them hearing the door, and then we had to pass their bedroom door to get to the stairs, so there would always be a “What time do you call this?!” from the darkness.

I'm another one who sleeps with my bedroom window open, so no downstairs bedroom for me. Even if burglars don't turn up various cats are bound to pay a visit.

We have this set up

You here them! DD taps her foot on the bed when drifting off and I can here her! Here them both get up. No issues

Not sure why you'd need a stair gate 3 and 5 year olds should manage the stairs ok

It's great being in a separate floor to your kids but ours isn't on the actual ground floor. You'd get used to it as long as it's not too near the living room and you've got access to a 🚽

I’m getting confused, what’s the layout, are there bedrooms downstairs as in with the living and dining etc or is it kind of upside down? If there are two bedrooms upstairs then I’d take the second bedroom and put the kids in together and make the downstairs bedroom into a playroom. I’ve done similar before as they don’t need much space in their rooms if they have a playroom and it’s nice for them to have a space near you downstairs when you’re cooking or relaxing.

I have my bedroom on the ground floor, an open plan space in the middle and DS up on the third floor.

But he's 13, and I think he really appreciates the freedom and space. We have a bathroom on both bottom and top through which makes it comfortable.

I hate climbing all the stairs each morning to kick him out of bed though as I'm getting old and waddling. 😂

I’m not against downstairs bedrooms personally but I wouldn’t have dc below me if that makes sense.

@BrickByBrick my friend kindly pointed out that we sneaked out even though we had no downstairs bedrooms..... haha

@VenusClapTrap love that disadvantage... I'll be there waiting 😂