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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Two bedrooms / Three children

69 replies

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 ☺️

OP posts:
blueandcream · 02/05/2021 09:15

I wouldn’t personally, to be honest. I think three in one room would be really overcrowded and sharing with two younger sisters until age 10/11 potentially a bit embarrassing and awkward.

Soontobe60 · 02/05/2021 09:15

That’s a good idea, but be prepared to have separate rooms when your eldest goes to secondary school. He will need his own space!

shouldistop · 02/05/2021 09:17

I'd think the 1yo would probably disturb the older 2 when they wake up with teething / needing comfort / sick.

I think it really depends how big the room is.

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.

Original poster
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!

OP posts:
blueandcream · 02/05/2021 09:27

I don’t think a year 5/6 boy would be comfortable sharing with his sisters to be honest and I think it could be embarrassing on play dates.

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.

shouldistop · 02/05/2021 09:36

I'd honestly think by the time he's 8/9 he's really not going to want to share with his 2 little sisters

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

conywarp · 02/05/2021 09:41

I don't really see the benefit in 3 kids sharing just so they can have a playroom.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 02/05/2021 09:43

I wouldn’t put the baby in with either of them as they would have to be really quiet and may often get disturbed at night and then have to go to school the next day.

Branleuse · 02/05/2021 09:44

you could try it. Its not as if you couldnt reconfigure later if necessary.
Is this about your existing house, or are you trying to decide if buying a 2 bed is worth it?

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?

ThatIsMyPotato · 02/05/2021 09:44

I think the oldest 2 could share for a couple of years max. But it would give your youngest a room clear of choking hazards for a bit.

ThatIsMyPotato · 02/05/2021 09:46

The eldest boy would need his own room by about 9/10 i think though

daisypond · 02/05/2021 09:48

I’d be more likely to have the DD and DS share and the baby gets their own room. It can be changed later on for the two sisters to share when the baby is much older. An upstairs playroom might not work very well in reality.

araiwa · 02/05/2021 09:51

Baby with you. The other two get their own rooms

Taswama · 02/05/2021 09:51

Sharing by age rather than sex makes more sense at the moment.
In 2 /3 /4 years, the baby will be a small child and your DS heading towards puberty.

womaninatightspot · 02/05/2021 09:53

I know someone who did this at the request of their eldest because he wanted a playroom. It lasted about 18months because he then wanted peace and quiet :)

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.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 02/05/2021 10:00

If they are big rooms, older 2 DC have sleep in one room, younger in the other. Arrange the rest of the space as you want.

ExtraOnions · 02/05/2021 10:01

There are 18 months between me and my brother (I am the younger) and we shared until he went to high school … I hated it, it had started to get really awkward and embarrassing.

Original poster
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!

OP posts:
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