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

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Siblings sharing bedroom, 3.5yr age gap

9 replies

Elllieuk · 02/10/2023 15:17

’m thinking ahead to when our 6mo is a bit older and moves out of our bedroom. Our 4yo really wants to share a room with her (both girls, 3.5yrs between them). We have enough bedrooms for them to have a room each but think it might be nice for them to have company. Anyone else done this and has it worked out well? They both go to bed about 7pm at the moment, although sometimes we’re doing stories with 4yo and the baby has already gone to sleep in her cot in my room.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

FudgeSundae · 02/10/2023 15:18

Mine have shared since 6 months/2yrs (19 mo age gap). They’re 4 and 2.5 now. So far it’s working well, I aim to separate them at 7&5/8&6 ish.

TulipsTulipTulips · 02/10/2023 15:27

We’re planning on this (same age gap, both girls). We have one massive room and one tiny box room, so it feels fair.

DD1 is really, really keen on having her little sis in with her (I think she mainly has her eye on bunk beds, in the future).

We won’t do it till DD2 is reliably sleeping through.

Frodedendron · 02/10/2023 15:35

This was me and my sister - we have the same age gap and I (the eldest) - also requested to share through choice not necessity. The spare room became our playroom. My memory is hazy but I am pretty sure she went to bed first and I got changed and had my book in the spare room and just went into our darkened room for sleeping.

It worked well for a couple of years and I remember I liked having company at night, but when I was 6 I got sick of it and apparently started pestering my parents for my own room, so my parents then split us. So it may come to an end sooner than you think.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3-6 months old 4 year olds 6-9 months old Babies & sleep

BoohooWoohoo · 02/10/2023 15:37

Mine shared until oldest was 10ish. They slept better with company.

SquigglePigs · 02/10/2023 15:46

My friends kids have a similar age gap, the oldest is 7, and they love sharing. They go to bed at similar times but the oldest reads to herself for a bit. They started sharing by choice earlier this year. The family are expecting it to work for a couple of years, and can switch back to separate rooms as and when they don't want to any more (likely when the oldest decides she needs some privacy).

StressedToDeathhhh · 02/10/2023 16:05

Mine share (3y gap, both girls) and the other room is their playroom. Will keep them together as long as possible as the rooms aren't evenly sized at all

sunshinesupermum · 02/10/2023 16:19

My grandsons have a similar age gap and live sharing a bedroom!

PuttingDownRoots · 02/10/2023 16:24

I think it depends on personality rather than age. My elder DD was 7 when she wanted her own room... they are polar opposites in many ways and DD1 just wanted some peace and quiet from her boisterous sister!

ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere · 02/10/2023 16:25

My two boys share, similar age gap - and there's a spare room if they didn't want to. They've shared since youngest was about a year old - if we're on holiday they'll even happily share a bed, and they're 12 and 9!

I think it helps that they only use the bedroom to store clothes and sleep - no-one hangs out and plays in there (that's what the playroom - which would alternatively be the second bedroom - is for), so there's no reason to fight.

Also they go to bed at about the same time even now (eldest reads a bit longer) - that's the only sticking point, and if the eldest was as stubborn as the youngest it would be a problem.

Flip