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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Double bed for a 7 year old

114 replies

Poppets14 · 14/11/2021 19:30

My daughter currently sleeps in a mid sleeper but the ladder is damaged and it’s not very good quality so need to get her a new bed.
Her room is quite big - I’m thinking of getting her a double.
I’m future thinking to when she has sleepovers it’ll be easier. Also I can get in with her to read.

My husband thinks she’s too young.

What do you all think?

OP posts:
Simonjt · 15/11/2021 05:42

@Chouetted

I'm confused about why tweenagers need doubles. I'm an adult and I sleep in a single. I don't have a partner and I quite like having the extra floor space.

Am I doing something wrong, or what?

They’re too small for a lot of teenagers, I was six foot by 13, a single bed is only six foot three long, so you have to either find a very very narrow pillow, or have it half hanging off the bed to actually lay flat and not have your feet danging off the bed. In a double at least you can lay diagonally if you’re tall.
shouldistop · 15/11/2021 06:40

Some children must have large bedrooms and not the box rooms to have double beds or king size!

You're surprised that different sized houses exist? Our house doesn't have any box rooms.

Bogeyes · 15/11/2021 07:20

What has her age got to do with anything? It's a piece of furniture. A double bed sounds great. Btw....treat your husband to a new bed too....a single bed!

GoodnightGrandma · 15/11/2021 07:22

Mine all got a double before they went to high school, so yes, might as well get it now.

userisi · 15/11/2021 07:29

Some children must have large bedrooms and not the box rooms to have double beds or king size!

Yes, we gave our son our king when we upsized our house and we all got bigger bedrooms, DH and I bought a super king so gave our son our king. Bigger bed = more comfortable in my opinion so if you've got the space, why not?

DDUW · 15/11/2021 07:29

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EnidFrighten · 15/11/2021 07:47

@Beancounter1

No matter how big the room, you are still sacrificing floor space. Your child may prefer more floor space for playing, eg. tents/dens, train layout, twister or other physical games, big imaginative games with lots of teddies/dolls/cars, etc. I think a child probably needs more floor than bed.
This. Also when you go on holiday and your child sleeps in a single, won't they find that weird? It's also quite a lot more washing when you think about it ...
userisi · 15/11/2021 08:05

No matter how big the room, you are still sacrificing floor space.* Your child may prefer more floor space for playing, eg. tents/dens, train layout, twister or other physical games, big imaginative games with lots of teddies/dolls/cars, etc.I think a child probably needs more floor than bed.*

That's what our playroom was for. Our kid still has more floor than bed with a king.

As for the other poster worrying about finding it "strange" going to a single bed on holiday...no...that's never been an issue, for myself as a teen reverting to single beds in or uni or for my kid when we go on holiday. Literally never once been mentioned.

Sewannoying · 15/11/2021 08:11

Some children must have large bedrooms and not the box rooms to have double beds or king size!

We have a three bedroom house, with two double bedrooms and a ‘box room’ (still a decent size) which we use as the office. DD has the 2nd double bedroom, and a queen sized bed against the wall, leaving plenty of space for play. I don’t hold with automatically putting kids in the smallest room in the house, unless that’s the only option.

Also when you go on holiday and your child sleeps in a single, won't they find that weird? No, not in the slightest. She actually quite likes the novelty.

RealBecca · 15/11/2021 08:15

Shes not too young for a bed. Unless his real problem is tht hes worried about her wanting boys over when shes older...

DDUW · 15/11/2021 08:17

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IARTNS · 15/11/2021 08:17

I had a double when I was that age, I think my parents bought a new bed and I inherited their old one Smile

toomuchlaundry · 15/11/2021 08:18

For those who went into a double bed pretty much from cot, wasn’t it a pain for washing bedding etc after toilet accidents, stomach bugs?

Sewannoying · 15/11/2021 08:24

@toomuchlaundry

For those who went into a double bed pretty much from cot, wasn’t it a pain for washing bedding etc after toilet accidents, stomach bugs?
I’m not sure how it would be different. It’s the same components, just in a slightly larger size. And if I was doing a wash because of toileting/stomach upset, I wouldn’t expect to put anything else in the wash at the, so no problem with it fitting in a decent sized washing machine.
PurpleFlower1983 · 15/11/2021 08:27

My DD is 2.5 and will be going straight to a double.

toomuchlaundry · 15/11/2021 08:32

@Sewannoying I suppose I was thinking that DS stayed in his cot bed until he grew out of it, so about 5yo. Had blankets and sheets rather than duvet, so easier to throw in the washing machine than a double duvet. He wasn’t reliably dry at night until about 4 so had a few accidents but also had a waterproof layer that went on his mattress which helped. Not so easy when they are spread out in a king size bed. Also at that age not so reliable to vacate the bed and get to the loo in time with D&V bug

x2boys · 15/11/2021 08:52

I don't think a child or a teen need a double bed ,but if you have the space why not ?
We were buying my nearly 15 year old a new bed a couple of years ago,his room isn't big enough for a full size double so we got him a small double ,he loves the extra space but it's not an necessity .

eateroffood · 15/11/2021 11:17

This notion that children 'need' a double bed has always boggled my mind. Originally from a country with, on average, much bigger houses, and much bigger rooms than the UK (the UK has very small houses, on average, compared to other rich countries), I don't know anyone who had a double bed as a child. Genuinely curious - where does this come from?

Someone posted above that a single bed is too short for a tallish person, since single beds are just 190cm long. It seems that the easiest solution for that would be to get a normal length bed - 2 metres, instead of expecting someone to sleep diagonally? (I've never encountered anything less than 2 metre long beds in any other 'rich' country.)

Smaller beds saves space, as commented above and resources (less washing). So what other reasons might there be why people think children 'need' wider beds?

DDUW · 15/11/2021 11:29

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eateroffood · 15/11/2021 11:35

@DDUW

So what other reasons might there be why people think children 'need' wider beds?

Childhood obesity

I had to laugh at that one, even if it might be a bit grim :-)
MaryShelley1818 · 15/11/2021 12:23

Both my children have small double beds.
They are 3 (nearly 4) and 9mths.
Makes everything easier, cosleeping, story time and teddies for the 3yr old!
Both still have room for toys and we have a huge playroom in the attic, and also a large living room for toys.

userisi · 15/11/2021 12:25

Smaller beds saves space, as commented above and resources (less washing). So what other reasons might there be why people think children 'need' wider beds?

Why are you on mumsnet? Why do you watch Tv? Why do you give presents at Christmas? Why do we do anything if it isn't a basic need?

I prefer a bigger bed, I asked my son if he wanted a bigger bed in his bigger bedroom and he was thrilled. We don't need it, but I have lots of things I don't absolutely need as I'm sure you do too.

Obviously Hmm

toomuchlaundry · 15/11/2021 12:32

I know DH had a double bed when he was a child, but that was because it was a bed his parents already had. When his brother came along, they shared the bed for a number of years and used the smaller bedroom as a playroom, as there was no room in DH"s bedroom for toys or much spare floor space.

Eventually they bought a single bed for BIL for the third bedroom, but still used that room for toy storage etc.

I am assuming in those days, most families would not routinely buy a double bed for their child as they got older. Expense would be a consideration, never mind space. It seems to be much more of thing nowadays. I suppose another example of consumerism too

yikerspipers · 15/11/2021 12:33

How you you be too young for a bed? I don't get it. My daughter has had a double since she'll was 5. Fits in her room.

Fizbosshoes · 15/11/2021 12:46

Please think ahead as they will need doubles when they're older. We moved them from a shared room to two other rooms so one each. Took out the doubles in those rooms and put their bunks into one room each. Now they are 13 and 11 and ready for doubles so we have to go and buy them again. I honestly don't know why we didn't just keep the original doubles.

I don't think any age is necessarily "too young" for a double bed but neither do I think kids "need" a double bed once they are double figures.

My DC are 12 and 15 neither has a double bed (I think they are in a minority ) they fit comfortably in single beds and have a futon or pull out bed for when friends sleep over. and im too lazy to launder and iron more double bedding

But if you are replacing the bed anyway and there's space for a double, and you want one , no reason why not.

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