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Original poster

At what age do kids tire of sharing rooms?

27 replies

icravecheese · 22/08/2013 18:43

Looking to remortgage, DH wants to get a 5yr fixed (as he reckons rates will start to rise again in next 12-24months....don't ask!).

Then, in 5yrs, we will either extend, or move - currently live in a 3 bed house, with 3 kids. In 5yrs time, kids will be 11, 9 and 7 years. The youngest 2 are girls so share.

Will they be ok sharing up to that age, or will they have gotten bored of it long before then? If so, we might think about extending or moving earlier so won't bother getting a 5yr deal....

OP posts:
Fraxinus · 22/08/2013 18:45

I think going into secondary is a good time to get your own room, as you have homework to do. So 11.

num3onway · 22/08/2013 18:46

In that case I have six years to be able to afford a 4 bedder!

Original poster
icravecheese · 22/08/2013 18:51

Yep I was thinking secondary school age, so when middle girl turns 11 then so that she can have her own room as our eldest is already in on his own.

We do have a large downstairs playroom that has its own ensuite, so its an option to use that as a 4th bedroom (house was sold as 3/4 beds), but i'd ideally like to have a separate downstairs 'teenagers' lounge, so either keep that, or extend into our large patio to make an additional downstairs living space for the youngsters.

Yes num3onway....it is all about affordability...I think it'd be more sensible to stay put rather than move & pay stamp duty etc, but I can't face thought of building work etc!

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valiumredhead · 22/08/2013 18:54

I think it's good for kids to share rooms.

greyvix · 22/08/2013 19:11

My oldest 2 girls always shared a room. They get on really well. They now live together in London, sharing a flat, but with separate rooms for the first time.

pinkje · 22/08/2013 19:16

If you get a 5 year fixed mortgage can't you roll that into a new mortgage if you move house?

CockyFox · 22/08/2013 19:16

My brothers shared till the day one left home he was 26 and the other one 23 - yes really and out of choice as I left home 10 years before DB did and they were offered the newly spare room (my bedroom) as soon as I left and repeatedly over the decade they shared unnecessarily.

Jan49 · 22/08/2013 19:21

I shared a room with my sister til I was 18 and left for university. I hated it and would never have a child that had to share. (I have an only child, problem solved!Grin)

BeenieBaby · 22/08/2013 19:28

What about making DS and dd share?? How long can I do that for? Sorry to hijack thread op!

Fraxinus · 22/08/2013 19:48

Num 3 on the way, if your name is accurate, and number 3 is still on the way, you actually have 11 years to get a 4 bedder by that criteria Grin

Fraxinus · 22/08/2013 19:51

Beenie baby, it depends on the kids, doesn't it?

I have a friend who had her 7 yr old dd share with her 11 yr old ds. It worked out fine until her oldest left home, freeing up a bedroom.

You don't have to provide separate rooms for your children. I doubt I will be. But I anticipate them asking for it about age 11.

lljkk · 22/08/2013 19:59

7+9 okay, they get too territorial around 10-12, I find.

num3onway · 22/08/2013 20:02

Number three is near five months she is the only girl so has the box room and two ds's share (4&5)

Lifeisontheup · 22/08/2013 20:05

Mine still share at 17 and 19, although now only in the holidays as DS1 is at uni. They really don't have a choice but have never complained, the year we lived in a 4 bed they still shared even though they had the option not too.

Periwinkle007 · 22/08/2013 20:08

my 2 girls share, they have a very large room so have an end each, the 3rd bedroom is half the size so otherwise one would have a huge room and one a normal single room which I think would be unfair.

SO they will share and probably share until they leave home to be honest as I can't see us moving.

I have to say though that if I was one of 3 and had a brother with his own room but I had to share with my sister then I would have issues with that when I got older. My 2 won't know any different if that makes sense. the spare room is an office for when hubby is on call and it only has a desk and a single bed in it so it isn't really possible to use it for them anyway.

onedogandababy · 22/08/2013 20:11

I agree with pp, look for a 5 yr fixed that is portable. That way if something amazing comes up or you really need that extra room, you're not tied.

Having said that, if you're happy where you & have room to extend, it may well be cheaper than solicitors, estate agents, stamp duty, removals etc. You may even be able to afford to get away for the worst of the building work!

noisytoys · 22/08/2013 20:15

Mine needed their own rooms when they were 2 and 4. There was no way they could share with their arguing and keeping each other up late. We are in a 2 bed flat so me and DH sleep in the living room to give them their own room, it works really well (and thankfully we live in the South East where using the living room as a bedroom isn't unusual).

sussexmum38 · 22/08/2013 20:18

Ours it was about 11 or 12. They need that much more space for stuff.

80sMum · 22/08/2013 20:19

I think if you can manage it, it would be lovely to give children their own space once they are about 12 or so. I shared with my younger sister till my older sister left home, by which time I was 16 and desperate for some private space.

Original poster
icravecheese · 22/08/2013 20:32

Yes I think a 5yr portable mortgage is best bet then....in case we do decide to move before 5yrs. If we get desperate in the meantime, we can do a speedy conversion of the downstairs playroom for our eldest, although I shouldnt imagine that he would want to sleep downstairs until he's at secondary school (by which point DD's will be 7&9 anyway, so time for their own rooms).

OP posts:
PearlyWhites · 22/08/2013 20:45

Kids having their own rooms is very modern thinking. It teaches children very good qualities by sharing.

Jaynebxl · 22/08/2013 22:18

Another one who thinks it is good for kids to share. If it works for you as a family to stay put and not rive your house about then I'd let them share a room til they leave home.

SunnyUpNorth · 23/08/2013 09:31

I shared with my little sister (4 yr age gap) from when she was born until I went to uni. Even when my older sister left home and We could have had our own rooms we still chose to share. I loved sharing with her, but we are very close and I sometimes daydream about us living together again when we are little old ladies!

If they get on well then I don't think you would have to have a time limit on it.

Mandy21 · 23/08/2013 11:00

I have 8 year old twins who share (boy/girl). They love it. We are hoping to extend in the next year or so but the driver is more space downstairs (with the added bonus of getting another room upstairs). I'm more than happy for them to share until they're in their teens.

If either of them gets particularly tetchy about wanting their own space (rarely), DD2 (who has the smaller 3rd bedroom) swaps with one of them for a few nights. Invariably they only have one night on their own and then want to be back with their twin!

Original poster
icravecheese · 23/08/2013 18:25

Wow, thanks all, lots of interesting comments - had no idea that some kids genuinely like sharing well into their teenage years. I shared with my sister for a few years when we were 9 & 11 and I don't recall either hating or loving it - parents built an extension and we moved into our own rooms.
My 2 & 4 yr old seem to love it at the mo, although am sure that could change very quickly, Or perhaps we'll be lucky and they'll share for many more years yet! I'd just like to be able to offer them each their own rooms at some point in future if they did tire of it.

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