Oldest age for mixed siblings occasionally to share

[Zhampagne]

Trying to work out the longevity of our current set-up.

7yo DD has the second biggest bedroom with a king size bed. We are decorating 2yo DS’s bedroom at the moment and putting in bunks. On the odd occasion that we have guests, DD vacates her bedroom and will go on the top bunk. How long do you think occasional sharing is practical for?

Around 8/9 in my view. Won’t DS feel a bit cheated with a bunk he has to share occasionally in the end? Won’t he climb up into the top bunk? Could you have a folding bed for DD and put it in your bedroom or DDs when you need to? Keep it in the garage?

As young as that? Crikey. I thought we might be OK until DD is in year 6 (so 10/11).

I take your points about the bunk beds. The bed in there at the moment is a single with a pull-out trundle and zip and link mattress so it could be a normal single bed for DS and then a separate one for DD.

So would you put mixed siblings of that age in separate rooms on holiday?

I think I shared with dB on holidays when I was 15 and he was 12 but I don't think that was the norm at that stage, more of a it's this or nothing folks. As for sharing I'd imagine you'd manage it occasionally up to adulthood. You'll have ages when one or the other will kick up and they'll end up on a couch or in your room. Or strategically planned sleepovers with friends etc.

My three 1 girl and 2 boys were sharing until she was 12. She now has her own room and the boys share.

I think a girl heading towards puberty and periods won’t want to share. 9/10 they should be with girls or on their own.

As long as needed.

My friends two (15/13) still choose to share a bed, let alone bunk beds

If they get body conscious they can change in the bathroom

4yesrs between my brother & I and we bunked up together when relatives came to stay until I left home.

It's really not a big deal.

If it's just on an odd occasion when you have guests then I'd say forever?

My dp is one of four adult siblings. 2 male and 2 female. On occasions a sister and brother still share rooms if there are other guests staying and the house is full. Its perfectly fine.

My 16 year old DDs have shared with their 18 year old brother on holiday. No one has complained if it's just for a few nights

I shared with my brother until I was 16. No major issues, wasn’t ideal and I would have loved my own room but it wasn’t awful either. We used to get changed in the bathroom.

If it's just occasionally, any age is fine.

If permanent probably 12 ideally. No reason they need to be 'single sex' but I'm sure the average tween would prefer it.

On the odd night for guests staying over I'd say indefinitely if the kids are comfortable enough. I used to share with my brother occasionally when on holiday or visiting friends (though if they had Boys and girls we would tend to split into rooms by gender. Some of my friends shared bedrooms (but not beds) with their other gender sibling on holidays for as long as they went on holiday with them (so 18/19). If the kids are uncomfortable one can go on the sofa? It's not like you're asking them to share a bed.

For occasional visitors for one or two nights then forever is fine. In some situations me and dh or the kids have used blow beds all in the same room or even slept in lounge sofa bed when visiting.

I will expect my two children to share a room on holiday as teens. Are parents of opposite sex children booking 3 bedrooms from age 10? My 10 year old would rather share with brother than sleep in a room on her own if away.

It's occasionally - they can share forever!!! Unless you have house guests several times a week.

Mine are at uni - they still share if they need to.

If it’s very occasional until she’s 12 or so?

Ds's 11 and 5 have always shared. Scope for oldest to have own room at about 13..
If he wants it!!

Occasionally because you have guests is fine for a few move years. They can easily change in the bathroom.

My children are older teens and expect to bunk up on holiday/when we have guests. I thought that was normal.

I envisage that she might want to change in our bedroom and use our en-suite bathroom before literally just going into her brother’s room to sleep. We’re probably talking an absolute maximum of one weekend a month, and that would be an unusually busy year of visitors.

My 10yr dd and 7yr DS very occasionally sleep together, can't see it lasting much longer though