Bedroom drama!

[0MrsP]

So we currently live in a 4 bed house.. 3 large doubles and 1 very small double. We have.

17 year old boy
16 year old boy
9 year old boy
6 month old baby.

Currently 17yr old has the smaller of the larger bedrooms.
The baby has just moved into the second biggest bedroom.
The 16yr old and 9yr old only stay with us for weekends so they share the smallest.

They are all moving in permanently this weekend and bedrooms are causing so many rows!

Everywhere is freshly decorated.. the nursery is done out for a baby, the other rooms are neutral colours. It's a sudden surprise having the middle 2 move in with us.

Who would you put where?

Room 1 - you and baby
Room 2 - 17yr old
Room 3 - 16yr old
Smallest room - 9yr old
Sofa bed - your husband

Would you be able to utilise a sofa bed in the living room at all?

Would a sofa bed in the living room help solve the issue. Ok, its not ideal but you will probably find any solution will not be 100% ideal

@BowiesJumper I tried husband on the sofa.. perfect solution.. he isn't having it!

So the eldest is mine..
the middle 2 are my husbands
The baby is both of ours.

The 3 boys all say they are 'real' brothers, that's their words.. they act like brothers.. best mates one minute.. tearing each other apart the next!

My husband says his 2 boys should just share the room the currently have an no one has to move anything. But I won't have them both sharing the smallest room!

The two full brothers get on worse out of everyone.

There are obviously more complications to the decision but too much to put into words. The 2 moving in currently don't live together because they are just passed from pillar to post at grandparents/relatives/friends.

I think ultimately they need to share but I don't want them to think my kids get their own rooms and they have to share.. they've been pushed out enough in life. It was justifiable when they didn't live here full time. If they were all mine I think the eldest and baby would have their own room and middle 2 would share.. I don't think I'm being biased?

Maybe I'll have to look at the babies sleeping arrangements and see if I can find a crib small enough to fit in my room but big enough for him.

Well done for stepping up by the way. I think it should be 16 and 9 in biggest room, baby in the next room but with 9 year olds toys (to spare the 16 year old a little) and then 17 year old in the smallest room on his own. I expect the 16 and 9 year old are so bloody grateful to have a permanent house theyre worrying about it far less than you!

At a push I’d put the 17 year old and 16 year old in together. As they will be studying for exams around the same time, they might have similar interests and probably spend all night gaming on Xbox or out with their mates. I’d give the 9 year old a room on his own as he is a light sleeper?
I’d move yourselves into the small bedroom as you need less space. and then baby stays where it is in the current room.

Are the large double rooms large enough to partition off with a stud wall? That’s the other option.m....

Will the eldest be going to uni or
Working? As realistically at 17 it possibly will only be for a year or so?

Co sleeping?
Snoring shouldn't keep a baby up, it's background noise, a white noise machine may help.
That's the safest place for your baby.

Are any of the doubles big enough to put a divider of some sort in for some privacy? I had to share with my younger brother growing up till our parents could afford to move but my side was screened off so we had our own decor and didn't kill each other

I still have my 2 yr old in with me. I'd just do that!

I would let them have what they want tbh and see how it goes. You may be pleasantly surprised at what 9yo sleeps through plus school holidays coming up so if it takes a couple of weeks to settle it’s not the end of the world.

Stress it’s a trial until end of August and can be reviewed if it’s not working.

Oops the link! www.diy.com/departments/karalis-room-divider/1012710_BQ.prd?ds_kids=92700039226147258&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpPHoBRC3ARIsALfx-_K1z75eM0wFkNDRcuEl9DUhYV6mzv422469c40WIsGP_QQGY1ZIElkaAl39EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've seen these bnq room dividers used with a curtain to make separate rooms.

I would put the two eldest who are closest in age in the biggest room with a stud wall or other divider down the middle. Ultimately they'll only be sharing for maybe a year or two before one of or both goes off to uni or gets their own place. I would also change the conservatory into a second living area if possible so that the sharers have another space they have the option of using, rather than solely the shared room.

Will your 17yo be going to uni? If he's likely to move out at 18, I'd give the brothers the biggest room to share until your eldest leaves, and then rearrange.

I would give the two oldest the biggest room perhaps with high sleepers so they have their own space and try to divide the room with furniture or a semi permanent wall.

And yes to try to make the conservatory a second living room so people can have space.

Make sure that their is enough seating in the living room so people are not sitting on top of each other if you are all in there at the sage time.
It’s not just about sleeping areas but space to call it home for everyone

Alternatively....Biggest room for the three oldest and the the second biggest room becomes their den/chill out zone. Would they consider that?

Otherwise, partition a room or look into extending the attic.

www.mamasandpapas.com/en-gb/petite-compact-cot-for-baby-to-1-year-white-pine/p/ctpe02700?pdg=pla-295729914239:cmp-2010328308:adg-71742980592:crv-353748331333:pos-:dev-m&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpPHoBRC3ARIsALfx-_LJ19MJpM1UJ8gIhQXZ_BRpNgcQhPcQPvYX4Ndd7ZpRwFWUXpQCruMaAmk2EALw_wcB

We used this for our DD until she was just over a year because her bedroom used to be our office..it could be a good solution for your little one in your room for a bit longer?

Good solution from the poster who said 3 oldest share the biggest room with a den type room for PlayStation etc.

Alternatively the middle 2 share the biggest room. They are full siblings and you can say that when the oldest goes to uni they'll get a room each. So it's more of a temporary measure while you all adjust. They might like being together.

I agree that baby needs their own room. Having sleep will be important to you all, especially you, when things get tough.

I would leave it how it is, tell the two moving in that when 17yo leaves they can have his room, and make conservatory into their den

room 1. 16 & 17 years together
room 2. 9yr old and baby
room 3. snoring husband room
room 4. your own room op

In serious note I would make the 9&16 year old share. The baby should go in the smallest room. Once baby is a better sleeper he can then share with 9year old but by then 17year old might have moved out.

Will your 17 year old be off to Uni in a year?
If so I would put the 16 and 9 together now with a promise that when the eldest leaves they each get their own room and the 17 year old then shares with the 16 year old during the holidays.

Good luck to you all and I wish you all much happiness at this new stage in your lives.

All this ‘He will be off to uni soon’ that people are saying, how old are your children will they be off to university shortly?
My 21-year-old is at uni at the moment but his bedroom is still his bedroom, this is still his home. When he comes home for the summer he still needs somewhere to sleep. University rentals are not usually 12 months long and a lot of accommodations will shut down over the major holidays plus they usually like to come home for Christmas and use as a base for meeting up with old friends. So magically once he turns 18 that doesn’t automatically become a spare bedroom He will always need somewhere to call home.

My 21-year-old is at uni at the moment but his bedroom is still his bedroom, this is still his home

I don’t think it’s about that. It’s just about trying to make sure the kids and OP and her husband are as comfortable as they can be in limited space while they are all there and I’m sure the 17 year old would have somewhere to stay when he’s home but maybe having to share.

Divide one of the large rooms a
and let youngest two have the two divided rooms. Older boy gets the bigger double and 16 year old gets the smaller double