We've downsized. Is it illegal or is my collegue BU?

[scatteredbraincells]

here goes, a few months ago we downsized. This means that DD and DS have to share a -fairly large- bedroom. They're 12 and just over 13 and they're best mates, they actually liked the idea.

Reasons for downsizing: mainly I wanted to go part-time which is helping immensely both my health and my relationship with my teenage children.
Our new place might have one room less, smaller living room and kitchen, but the kids' room is much bigger than before, it's a bungalow (which I love), better house in terms of materials' quality (no drafts, sturdier walls), it's detached and we have three times the garden space we had before. It's a longer commute to work, but we had factored that in. A bit further away from the centre, hence much cheaper.

We also LOOOOVE travelling, it's a very important thing for all four of us and although we know it's a luxury it would be the first thing to go if something had to give, we were willing to go smaller in order to keep the opportunity to do this.

As I said my kids are not babies and I'm very pleased with their level of maturity. We had discussed all this with them, and we made the decision to move as a family, they were excited about it.

If you're still reading (sorry ) collegue today dropped in convo that I had better keep secret than my kids are sharing a room as the SS might have something to say about it. I snorted saying that it was four of us sharing a room when I was a kid and noone cared, she responded that it was different times, it's now illegal to put children of different sex in the same room!!!! Siblings FFS!

I was fuming and was gonna give her a piece of my mind, but decided against it.

Had another chat with the children today, if they're happy with this arrangement now we've lived here for sometime, talked about their personal space and the fact they're growing up, they said they love it here, they love having a big garden to invite all their friends, it's easier for dd to help ds with homework and they like chatting before they sleep in the night.

I know it's not actually illegal (what a ridiculous claim) but what do you all think? Did we make a mistake??

I'm with the 'prefectly normal' gang.

If either of becomes twitchy about privacy as they mature, you can stick up a plasterboard partition. Job done

A brother/sister I went to school with shared a room until the sister was about 16 I think (and it was tiny - bunkbeds!). No harm came of it.

Room sounds like it's a reasonable size so I'd look into getting it divided now or in a year or two - maybe there's even a way to get it permanently done??

don't wanna do it permanently, DD will be out of here in 5 years or so, I'd like to keep the option open

meant "out of there " obviously

i don't see the problem at all tbh. the kids are both happy for now, and the day that it changes you can rig up a dividing curtain very easily. job done.

what it has to do with your colleague is beyond me, can't see why she'd think it her place to comment on this. so unless you asked her opinion, she was very rude imo!

My dear aunt has a 5-bedroom house, but only 3 of the bedrooms are used, her DD3, DD4, DD5 and DS2 share a bedroom and they are aged 29, 28, 27 and 24! DD1 and DD2 shared a room until they married and moved out. Her DS1 was sadly killed in a car crash and his room is left the exact same way untouched for 6 years, then Aunty and her DH have a room. The children never had any interest in getting their own rooms, they enjoy each other's company!

I never heard anything about it being illegal!

The 24 year old shares a room with his 3 older sisters? That is weird! Kids in the OP will probably want some privacy in the next fwe months/years but 24?

if it's your own house it's not illegal I had 2dd's and a ds sharing for 8 years until we made a large room into 2.

Does your colleague have children? If so, it sounds like she's jealous that your own get on so well. I certainly am! I have 2 teenaged DDs and NO WAY could they share a room - they fight like cat and dog and DD2 can't keep her hands off DD1s belongings.

Lucky you, what lovely children you must have, and what a pleasure it must be to know how well they get on. Ignore the daft colleague, you and they are doing nothing wrong.

WMHB, he's the 27yo - and I think it's because they always shared a room since they were small, and are probably afraid of the dark.
I've always had my own room, but I've never thought anything weird about their situation nor do any of their mates - but then we know and love this family, maybe this just sounds strange to an outsider!