19 month old & 5 year old room sharing

[ridiculouslyridiculous]

I’m after some advice on children sharing a room. I have two girls - 19 months and 5 years old.

We have just bought a house with two bedrooms. Both huge rooms, and the girls are in the biggest room, we can’t separate to make three bedrooms as there is only one window in each room.

does anyone have any advice on room sharing? This is new to them and it’s not working out very well! My eldest is currently lying in her bed trying to sleep, but my youngest is just crying and standing up in her cot as she is not used to someone else being in her room.

i’ve tried to divide the room as much as possible but she can still see/hear when my youngest dd goes to bed, even though we think she is completely asleep. Help!

How long have you been in the new house? What is the current bedtime routine and timings for both girls? Did they have a room each before?

I would be prioritising sleep, so I'd probably bring the youngest into your room to go to sleep and either keep her in there or dump her back in her own bed when you come to bed and your oldest is asleep.

Think you just need to keep it calm, put on some quiet sleepy music or softly sing to them yourself, rub the little one's back until they settle - they will get used to it.

A cot snooze pod so she can’t see out of it? Or just have the little one in your room.

That wouldn't have worked for mine. You need to keep the 1 year old in the room.with you until she sleeps reliably. It's extremely unfair on your 5 year old.

We’ve only been here for three nights. We do bath together, downstairs for milk for the youngest, story and then take her to bed. Then it should be 30 mins later that the eldest goes to bed.

They did have their own rooms at our old house and youngest dd was/is very good and just laying down and going to sleep when she is put to bed. The issue is that she wakes up when anyone goes into the room - almost like she senses our presence!

we have been bringing the eldest into our room the last few nights as youngest dd won’t sleep in with us. She just thinks it’s playtime!

Yes, I think you’re right. Will try some soothing music, youngest has white noise also.

We’re also looking in to a room divider to divide the room as it’s so big

Oh that sounds good. I’ll research it as this could work. If she can’t see us, she’s fine!