Nightmare 2 year old and 4 year old sharing a room..... Suggestions / Advice please!!!

[OrganisedMayhem]

I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice on my two girls.....

My 2 year old and 4 year have just started to share a room but it is not going well (it is week 2 now). If they go to bed together the 2 year old is so excited that she yells at her big sister to wake up / play. In the middle of the night she also yells at her, and as soon as she wakes up is very excited so again yells to wake up DD1.

The 4 year old needs more sleep than her little sister, so this is getting tricky as they can't go to bed together as DD2 makes lots of noise, so DD1 is either going to sleep in another room and then we move her when we go to bed or she stays up an extra 30 minutes so her sister goes to sleep. Poor DD1 is exhausted and has said she does not want to share a room anymore, even though she adores her little sister and has been excited about sharing.

It's clear this can't go on as she needs more sleep. DD1 needs a good 12-13 hours per night whilst DD2 gets by on 11 hours and an afternoon nap. She is not ready to drop the nap as she is knackered after her lunch.... DD2 was a great sleeper in her own room (went to sleep straight away at night with no fuss, never woke in the night, went back to sleep if she woke up early in the morning)

Anyway I am on the brink of moving them back into their own rooms, but wondered if anyone had any other suggestions. I really want this to work as DD2 bedroom is being sorted for baby number 3 due in August (she does not understand that the baby will be sleeping in her old room), and I don't want to change the spare room into a bedroom for DD2, especially as the room they share is a lovely big girly room.

Should I persevere and hope the novelty wears off or are they simply incompatible in a room together?

Suggestions, thoughts or similar experiences please.....!!!!!!

I'm sure it will settle down, she can't stay excited forever.
You have to persevere because of the situation, just as my family will be having to do soon, we will have to downgrade size and put our 4yo and 1yo in the same bedroom, as we're being housed by the council and they think one bedroom for two kids is fine :/
You could always try and seperate the nice big room with a partician.
If all else fails put 2yo back in her own room for another year, untill she can understand to be quite at night a bit better, and have the baby in your room. (I would worry about a baby by themselves)

is your 2yo in a cotbed or a bed?
When I put my 2 in together, I put blankets all along the bars to screen off 'the view' which helped when they woke in the night.

Maybe some furniture between the beds? Or an actual screen, or drape thingy (can't recall proper word... darn it, ikea do them, they hang from the ceiling...)

Posted this on the other thread you have going:

I have two DDs and they have shared a room since DD2 was 6 months, they are now 3 and 1.5. I put them to bed at the same time, and rarely have problems of one waking the other.

My DD2, like yours, needs less sleep than her older sister, and I had to make their bedtime later because of this, but DD1 has adjusted and now just sleeps a bit later in the morning if she is really tired.

I would say to stick at it, the novelty will wear off, especially if you don't give her any attention for being disruptive, and encourage DD1 to do the same.

I also found mine became heavier sleepers since sharing, and nothing will wake them once asleep, often DD1 will fall asleep while DD2 is still chatting to herself.

Keep at it, it will get easier smile

Thank you - all the suggestions have been noted!

my 3 year old and 5 year old have always shared but we recently put them in bunk beds and you can imagine the excitment about that! We worried little one would want to go on top but actually this hasn't been a problem. The problem has been the constant playing on the ladder, silliness etc.. We're on day five (I think) now and it is beginning to settle down

Pedalpusher - we are planning bunk beds at a later stage. I hadn't thought of the chaos that will cause....
Good luck!