Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Larger families

Find out all about large family cars, holidays and more right here.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Anyone with 4 or more kids in a 2 bedroomed house?

39 replies

nappyaddict · 24/11/2010 01:54

Friend is pregnant with number 4 and is getting a lot of criticism because they only have a 2 bedroomed house. She is trying to ignore them cos it's really none of their business but she would like to hear from others in the same situation.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

HSMM · 24/11/2010 08:40

My DH is from a family with 8 children that lived in a 3 bed house. Apart from the morning scramble for clothes, it doesn't seem to have bothered him.

mamatomany · 26/11/2010 11:32

Nope, i barely cope with 4 children in a 4 bed, i think she's mental personally.

tummytickler · 26/11/2010 11:44

Wow! Are they big bedrooms? Does she and her partner sleep in the living room?
TBH it is nothing to do with anyone else - she is right. I would not have 4 dc's in a 2 bed house though (unless there was an option to extend in the very near future). My 4 dc's would trash it in a nanosecond, merely by being there
I have 4dc's in a 3 bed house and we are ttc no5. We will need to move to a bigger house. I would worry about bed time! It is hard enough getting 4dc's to sleep as it is without them all sharing a room!

expatinscotland · 26/11/2010 11:46

There were 5 children in a two-bed house where my dad grew up.

It doesn't seem to have bothered him, either.

DurhamDurham · 26/11/2010 11:50

I think it was common years ago but not so much now. I think it's quite sad for the children who must have no privacy or space of their own. But each to their own, I just could not stand the chaos that must happen every moring when there's a queue for the bathroom and where do they put everything (toys, clothes etc)?

LongStory · 26/11/2010 12:30

Impossible to generalise - depends how much living area, how many bathroooms, age of children, structure of day, space in garden etc. We live in a large house but most nights all 7 of us go to sleep in 2 bedrooms; the kids like sharing clothes and prefer being together. Also you don't need much stuff; forces you to be much more practical about the amount of clothing and toy tat in the house. I expect the kids will grow up quite considerate and tolerant (or else they will stay child-free, work in the city and buy large penthouses just for them with white sofas!)...

booyhoo · 26/11/2010 12:32

well, for teh first few months teh baby will most likely be with mum anyway so there will only be 3 in teh other room and if mum is sleeping in the living room then that will only be two to a room so not really that cramped if mum is happy with staying in the living room. can she really not afford to upsize or does she just not want to?

booyhoo · 26/11/2010 12:33

i personally prefer to have fewer rooms as it is easier to keep tidy. teh more space tehre is teh more the mess spreads and teh less organised you have to be.

missnevermind · 26/11/2010 15:34

I am pg with DC4. We live in a 2 bed house.
A very small 2 up 2 down Victorian terrace.
It is not ideal but it is what we have and we will have to cope.
And it is nobody's business but mine and DH's tbh.
A five bed small mansion would be nice for christmas but it aint gonna happen

misdee · 26/11/2010 15:39

will have 5 kids in a 3bedroom house

dont want to move. dh does, but not actively looking iyswim.

if it comes to it, dh and will have a sofa bed in the living room. but doubt it'll happen.

sweetkitty · 26/11/2010 23:01

We have 4 in a 3 bed house, well 2 1/2 bed house as bedroom 3 is tiny.

Plan is to extend next year or move.

It's a new build house and it's the room size and lack of cupboards that annoys me the most, if the rooms were larger and we had ample storage space it wouldn't bother me as much.

darleneconnor · 27/11/2010 12:43

I want another atm even though there are already 2 adults + 2 DCs (Ds+DD) in a 2 bed. They are already in bunk beds but their room is big enough for another set of bunks in there (c. 18ftx11ft). If we did have 2 more though we would prob swap their room and the living rm because it is 18ftsquare and I think with the current trends of DCs/adults having their own tvs/laptops etc in their own rooms I dont see much need for a living rm, or at least not a big one.

This flat might be small for us but it's in a v good area and I'd rather that for the Dcs than a big house in an isolated or run-down area.

DurhamDurham · 27/11/2010 14:16

I think with the current trends of DCs/adults having their own tvs/laptops etc in their own rooms I dont see much need for a living rm, or at least not a big one.

I'd hate that, a family should be together on an evening to chat. I'd be gutted if my two dd's came home and went straight to their rooms for the evening.

darleneconnor · 27/11/2010 18:52

I take it they aren't teenagers yet?

That scenario isn't a nice thought but it's reality for a big proportion of familes.

thisisyesterday · 27/11/2010 18:55

a friend has 8 children in what is, officially, a 2 bed flat!!!

they have obviously converted other areas, such as the kitchen/diner, to make more sleeping areas, but it's still small

thisisyesterday · 27/11/2010 18:56

oh any my friends 4 eldest are all teens and tbh the kids are fab. they don't mind at all

tummytickler · 27/11/2010 18:58

I agree with Durham - I would be gutted too. Why have a large family if you are going to spend all you together time in separate rooms because you have no family room?
You could just put a ban on bedroom tv's. Mine are well aware that they will never be allowed a tv in their room.
I am sorry, but it seems like a terrible shame. (and my eldest is 10, so not far off being a teenager)

goodluck · 27/11/2010 19:09

My friend has four in a two bed. Three boys in the big front room, their daughter in the box room and they have a sofabed downstaits. They do find it very hard tbh.

goodluck · 27/11/2010 19:10

I remember quite a few parents sleeping downstairs when IO was growing up. I don't know anyone else doing that now though.

CherryTheRedNosedMonster · 27/11/2010 20:08

i had 4 dc's in a 2 bed flat. as well as 3 adults. partner (now ex) and i had a double bed behind the sofa in the living room (17x14 feet), dd2's cot in other corner of living room. 2 ds's (7 and nearly 5 at the time) and dd1 (1 year at the time) in the big bedroom (14x12 feet) and dsis in the small bedroom (9x8 feet). moved from there when dd2 was 5 months into a 4 bed house which was nice. it was cramped in the flat, but we got some really good storage solutions, and we managed.

juuule · 27/11/2010 22:13

I think it depends on the personalities of the children. Some wouldn't be bothered with the closeness of other family members. The problems arise when you have a child who is bothered by it. Unfortunately at the time of conception it's difficult to know what personality the child will have.
So, whether it would be a problem or not would depend on the child/ren.
Lack of space can be difficult for some the older they get.

mamatomany · 28/11/2010 14:10

She might be ok if she owns the property but we discovered when we considered renting that landlords don't like large numbers of people in properties built for 2 or 3 it disproportionally affects the wear and tear.
I really think you need to consider worse case scenario's

mumtofourboys · 16/01/2011 15:30

we have 4 dc's in a 2 bed house they are aged 10,8,6 and 4 the oldest dosent like sharing much but he copes and if they want time on their own their is the kitchen my bedroom the garden go out for a walk or pay in the park we cope very well and me and dh have no plans to move and it makes us a close family cause we are always around each other which is great

tinkerbellgotpan · 16/01/2011 15:54

There's 6 of us in a 2 bedroom house.Myself and DP and 4 DC 12,9,7 and 3.I've had people who don't know us and who don't know what the inside of our house look's like say how awfull!But people who do and have been in our house are amazed by how clean and organised our house is.Our children have the bedrooms,they all have they're own bedroom furniture.The bedroom's are decorated so they each have they're own stamp on they're room.They all have they're own toy storage and we have a lot of toys!:).They all have shelfs for special little things they want to display.And they all have book shelfs in the bedrooms,and we also have a large bookcase in the frontroom.We have a hanging space for all our coats and we have shoe racks.Being organised and knowing were everythink is is the key.Were lucky that we have a large back garden so are able to have a swing set,slide,built in sandpit and seesaw.The garden is fantastic for when we have sunshine I did say when :).As for me and DP we sleep in the frontroom on a kingsize double height electric air bed.Our bed does'nt come out till all the children are in bed.Then in the morning we put the bed and bedding away upstairs in a cupboard.We're moving this year,which will be great for all of the children.I beacme seriously ill last year and am now disabled so we need a bedroom!:).Tell your friend to ignore them!They don't live in her house so don't know how it works.And as long as your kids feel loved and our secure.Home is where your heart is xx

juuule · 16/01/2011 16:55

"Our bed does'nt come out till all the children are in bed"

This could be a problem once the children get older. Potential to be waiting to get the bed out until the early hours with older teens. Something to bear in mind.
I realise that as you (tinkerbell) are moving to a house with another bedroom this isn't going to be an issue.

Flip

1 2