AIBU?
Two bedrooms / Three children
FartleBarfle · 02/05/2021 09:14
I have an idea that instead of having a bedroom for my two girls (age will be 1 & 5) and one for my boy (age will be 7) , I put all three in one room with the wardrobes etc as a sleeping room, and turn the other room into a playroom for all their toys. My older two are really close and would love to share anyway.
Has anyone else ever done this and what are the pros and cons? My thinking is this will work for 3-4 years max, but at that point we would look to move to a larger house so they can all have their own bedroom. It feels like people might think it's a weird thing to do, but I can't think why right now.
Thanks for your honest opinions ☺️
MinimumChips · 02/05/2021 09:18
We’ve done something like this - our two dc share a room and have a playroom in our garage and we use the third bedroom as a spare room/office. They’re 6 and 10 and are both still happy with this arrangement. We’ll probably change things in a year or so. One of our 10 year old’s friends has two siblings and they all share a bedroom and use one spare room as a sewing and craft room and the other as a play room. They’ll change it up once the kids start to dislike that arrangement.
Camomila · 02/05/2021 09:20
In your situation I would have the 5 and 7 year old share for now and give the smallest room to your 1 year old. That way they have somewhere safe to get out all the tiny choking hazards like lego out and can lay out giant race tracks etc without the toddler godzilla-ing everything.
FartleBarfle · 02/05/2021 09:22
We have big bedrooms so they won't be overcrowded. As I said this would be for 3-4 years so once my son goes to secondary school we would be looking to move house.
If I separate them, I am thinking by gender, or would you do the two that are closer in age. In which case the baby would have a large room all alone!
LabiaMinoraPissusFlapus · 02/05/2021 09:27
We did similar for around 2-3 years, and at one point there were three sleeping in one room with a playroom (mixed sexes). They honestly slept the best they ever had for their ages when all three were in together! I now have two boys sharing for the long term and it is going well at present. If it goes tits up we will have to split one of the other bedrooms.
Caspianberg · 02/05/2021 09:39
I would put baby in room alone, and older two sharing for another few years.
That way baby can nap or go to bed earlier, whilst older two play or read in bed at while longer.
You can always use ‘baby room’ as semi playroom for main stuff, and the older bedroom for small bits baby might swallow.
In a few years time you can review
JaninaDuszejko · 02/05/2021 09:44
My three share for a while but the eldest two are the same sex (and they still share now we're in a 4 bed house). I think 3 in the one room won't last long considering the age of your eldest. If your rooms are large is there a simple way to divide the bigger room into two and you put up a plasterboard wall while you remain in this house?
steppemum · 02/05/2021 09:57
my 3 had to share a room until the oldest was 8.
There was a playroom downstairs, but only 2 bedrooms.
Sleep wise it was fine, at that age, once asleep they sleep through baby waking etc, but to be fair, the babies didn't wake much.
I think it is fine, but I would be careful to decorate in such a way that it would be easy to swap round.
be lead a bit by what they want too.
When we finally moved, my 2 dds shared for a year until we had built dh's home office. Then dd1 moved in to her own room, dd2 had the bigger room (much bigger) and the deal was that it was also the shared playroom.
From the day dd1 moved out, they never once used it as a playroom, they wanted their own space too much
YellowGlasses · 02/05/2021 09:58
If they are big rooms, why can’t they have half playroom/half bedroom and not have to share? I think other children on play dates would question it and anything that children have that is out of the norm is something that can leave them open to being bullied.
Your five year old might have started her periods before your seven year old starts secondary school (I would have done as I was an early starter) and she and your son could find sharing really awkward.
FartleBarfle · 02/05/2021 10:02
Thanks for all those who shared helpful advice. I will consider the alternative option of having a separate room for the baby and the other two together.
I don't know how many times I can explain that this wasn't a permanent option, especially not into puberty and periods 😂😂 people do like to think others are daft!
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.