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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU not to give my children a double bed each?

529 replies

TheCherries · 16/04/2019 23:22

I am in the process of decorating new bedrooms for my two young teenagers.

Both are insistent their friends all now have double beds and it isn’t fair I am making them keep their single beds.

Changing their beds isn’t an option we don’t have the budget for it anyway but it got me thinking is it really a rite of passage to have a double bed as a teenager?

Surely you wait until you are an age to share the bed with another. My feeling is the larger the bed the more you get used to spreading out.

I would prefer to keep the single bed with guest bed underneath for sleepovers and enjoy the extra space in their rooms the rest of the time.

We have two spare bedrooms so we don’t need to double up the use of their beds for relatives staying over.

Do yours have a double bed?

OP posts:
Pinkprincess1978 · 17/04/2019 15:41

My ds (11) only has one as he had our old one. When we moved we chucked his bed and got ourselves a new one and it seemed a shame to get rid of our old one. Otherwise it wouldn't occur to me to get him a double.

I didn't have a double till I was an adult.

gamerchick · 17/04/2019 16:36

Yes of course but it must generate more washing, bad enough in a single bed

No more than it would in a single bed. It still has to be washed.

gamerchick · 17/04/2019 16:38

I had a single bed until I was...actually I don't think I'll say, it's too embarrassing!!

I'm 44 and have a single bed now Grin

mirime · 17/04/2019 16:47

I had a single until I was in my 20s. My room wouldn't have fit a double. Even when my future DH moved in we squeezed into a single bed for a year or so. Then we had a three quarter/small double, which seemed like luxury!

Pinkbutton85 · 17/04/2019 17:03

I went from a single to a king size at 16. No regrets 😂

tantamountto · 17/04/2019 17:20

Why do some parents actually seem to be encouraging this? Why do it unless a child is very keen?

TowerRavenSeven · 17/04/2019 17:24

Ds crib changed from a crib to a toddler bed then a double bed. Best investment we ever made furniture wise.

notacooldad · 17/04/2019 17:32

Why do some parents actually seem to be encouraging this?
What's the problem?

SleepingSloth · 17/04/2019 17:33

Why do some parents actually seem to be encouraging this? Why do it unless a child is very keen?

Confused It's just a bed.

woodhill · 17/04/2019 17:33

I disagree, you can get more in the washing machine with a single duvet especially if you have to keep washing the mattress cover which is wider on a double bed plus duvet itself would fit in the washing machine.

I had to change the bed a lot with ds unfortunately.

LittleMissMummaBear · 17/04/2019 17:38

I don't have any teenage children, but I do live with my teenage sister who is 16. I took her in when she was 15 so about a year ago and she has a double bed only because her bedroom used to be the spare bedroom and there was a double in there anyway. otherwise, I wouldn't have got her double bed, probably a single.
my daughters are still toddlers but when they get older and need to move out of there crib-like beds that aren't really beds I am thinking to get them small doubles straight away so that they don't moan for them later on

Namechange8471 · 17/04/2019 17:45

My 10 year old has a double bed. She has a big bedroom and likes to have her teddies in with her 😂

We didn't buy cheap so it's to last her, and to be honest the price difference wasn't very obvious.

I'd buy one if you've got the room ( and you're buying a decent one)

Aragog · 17/04/2019 17:48

Do yours have a double bed?

DD does. Got i around ages 12 or 13y I think. We were resorting her room and changing the bed anyway. Initially was going with a 3/4 but a proper double was cheaper.
She likes it, and when friends stay they just sleep in together.
We don't use it for guests - it's her room, and we have a smaller guest room with a double in for overnight guests.

Numptysod · 17/04/2019 17:50

Small double as it inbetween x

BasinHaircut · 17/04/2019 17:50

DS went from cot to toddler bed at 2.5. We tried him on the toddler/cot bed for a couple of nights once he came out of the cot but he moves about so much he just kept falling out.

He is almost 6 now and still can’t sleep in a single without falling out so I doubt he’ll ever have a single bed.

BasinHaircut · 17/04/2019 17:51

To double bed! I have no idea what I was writing there!

cushellekoala · 17/04/2019 17:54

Just re-read this and see some did double bed straight after a cot.probably not something to admit in MN world but I've always been really glad i bought a really cheapo synthetic argos duvet for each of my kids. So easy to pop in the wash after sickness, spillages or bedtime accidents when they were pre-schoolers - I'm sure one summer i seemed to be washing all bedding including the duvet, daily - I'm not sure if a double duvet would have fitted in the machine!!

WinterWife · 17/04/2019 18:33

My almost 2 year old has a king 🙈 good sleeper but she likes to sprawl out so constantly got woke up in her cot bed. Plus we were getting rid of it so thought why not? Loads easier if she does wake up or is poorly so everyone's a winner and plenty room for her toys/bedroom furniture too. Also add we live in a 2 up, 2 down house.

soberfabulous · 17/04/2019 18:36

My 5 year old has a king bed and went straight into it from a cot when she was 3.

Best thing we ever did as when she goes through non sleeping or waking up phases we can sleep in with her and avoid both parents being woken up.

I had to have a single bed until I left home at 18 and hated it with a fiery passion. It's so nice to have some space!

gamerchick · 17/04/2019 18:37

I disagree, you can get more in the washing machine with a single duvet especially if you have to keep washing the mattress cover which is wider on a double bed plus duvet itself would fit in the washing machin

You don't have to have a double duvet.

I did 3 kids, 2 all grown up and it just wasn't a hardship. It's fine if you want to disagree. I'm not having any more kids Grin

gamerchick · 17/04/2019 18:38

Why do some parents actually seem to be encouraging this? Why do it unless a child is very keen?

Who would have thought what kind of bed a kid has would be an outrage Grin

PositiveVibez · 17/04/2019 18:49

Why do some parents actually seem to be encouraging this? Why do it unless a child is very keen?

Dramatic much?

Genuinely scratching my head at this comment. Its not like anyone is giving their kids drugs. It's just a bed.

My dd has had one since about 8. She has a large bedroom and as a pp said, loves having all her teddies with her.

She can sprawl on there and loves it.

Bonkersblond · 17/04/2019 19:01

DD10 has a double, I think it’s brilliant, she can have friends sleepover without me having to make up another bed, if she’s feeling poorly I can jump in with her, wish we’d got it earlier.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 17/04/2019 19:04

If they want double beds, let them buy them!

THIS ^

They can ask for birthday/ Christmas money towards new beds.

I know I'm a grumpy ole trout, but I think that young people and children get too much too easily these days - they don't value anything.

(grumble, grumble, grumble - And Hey! You! Git off'n my lawn! Grin)

iMatter · 17/04/2019 19:40

My 2 had double beds from about 9/10. They have huge bedrooms though (big Victorian house) and still loads of space even with the beds in there.