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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Same or different bedroom floor to DCs?

16 replies

HelpMeHiveMind · 19/01/2022 19:47

Hi all, we've lived for a long time in a house where we are on a different floor to the DCs (loft conversion). Now considering buying a very nice new property but all bedrooms are in the often seen courtyard type layout on one floor. Essentially, one wall of our bedroom would back onto one of the DCs and another DC would be across the (fairly wide) hallway.

DH isn't too concerned about this but it feels quite claustrophobic to me and I worry I'll be really self conscious particularly when DH and I are talking or, heaven forbid, wanting to do anything more exciting!

How have others felt when they've made a move in similar circumstances. Or if you already live on the same floor as your DCs...is the privacy an issue?

OP posts:

Santahasjoinedww · 19/01/2022 19:59

3 floors here. Us, Ds13 and ds18 same floor with a landing and staircase between each.
Middle floor ds 7.
Ground floor 2 x dd's- teens.
Older ds far enough away we can't hear him gaming and he can't hear us.. watching TV..
And we can't hear the dd's bitching and arguing!
Quite blissful tbh!!
And for uninterrupted TV viewing we have a wooden chock for the door!!

RandomUsernameHere · 19/01/2022 20:08

This is a really good point! We're currently on the top floor and DCs on the middle floor but we might be moving soon and was thinking it might be nice to be in a 2 storey house instead, hadn't thought about the privacy aspect though. Interesting to see others' opinions...

55Jumbo · 19/01/2022 20:20

Personally I'd always choose to be on the same floor as my kids, unless they were quite a bit older (mid-teens plus, and even then I wouldn't prefer it). Could you put a large wardrobe against the shared wall?

PinkMoon22 · 19/01/2022 20:21

@55Jumbo

Same for me

itsgettingweird · 19/01/2022 20:22

I think it's quite personal choice!

The majority of the population reside in flats or 2 story houses where the bedrooms are all on one floor. Clearly people manage to "watch tv!" As the have kids in the bedrooms

But I do think it could be odd if you've not I'd that set up before.

ComtesseDeSpair · 19/01/2022 20:27

Across the hallway should be less of an issue; but DP and I stayed with friends recently whose tween DS was in the bedroom next door and we were very conscious of him being there - to the point we were trying to avoid even moving around too much in the bed in case he even thought we were having sex

And on the basis that there are loads of threads in the Relationships section on advice for sex when you have teenagers who are awake at all hours, I think it’s an issue for many people who have older DC in bedrooms adjoining theirs.

Kite22 · 19/01/2022 20:37

I have to say, I opened this presuming it was going to be a poster worried about not being on the same floor as their dc

Seriously, if you want to talk about something private, just makes sure you don't shout. I mean, how loudly are you talking that people can hear each other in different rooms ?

Original poster

HelpMeHiveMind · 19/01/2022 20:45

@Kite22 it's not the 'talking' so much that worries me

OP posts:

Allsorts1 · 19/01/2022 21:18

I don’t actually have kids yet so my opinion is probably worthless here but we will TTC soon and also looking at house move in the next year or so and I am absolutely looking for houses where the master could be on a different floor to rest of bedrooms due to the privacy aspect.

I wondered for PPs who say they want to be on the same floor as kids, why that is, is it a safety issue?

HippeePrincess · 19/01/2022 21:55

I’ve been thinking about this layout issue as we’re planning to move this year, I was wondering if being above dc bedroom would be worse in terms of privacy, nothing worse than hearing your parents dtd right above you surely!

doubledeckerdreamer · 19/01/2022 22:02

We have the bathroom between us and the kids so a level of privacy. I'd have thought the TV would have to be fairly quiet if your not home alone whichever level you all sleep on 😉
I definitely prefer to be on the same level as them just on the off chance there was a fire and we couldn't get to each other. Its probably an irrational worry. Also my youngest doesn't sleep so I'm in and out of his room all night so I like that he's next door.

Original poster

HelpMeHiveMind · 19/01/2022 22:35

@HippeePrincess it probably is worse for the poor kids, but somehow easier for us to forget they are there!

OP posts:

Jarstastic · 19/01/2022 23:34

We were on the top floor at our last house but felt aware we had one right below our bed. The noise also also seemed to go through that house. Now on the same floor but the house is a lot wider and we don’t have anyone right next to us. I much prefer it.

stingofthebutterfly · 20/01/2022 10:18

Don't most houses have everyone on the same floor? I'm not sure why it's an issue. Surely a child can walk in whatever floor they're on, and, unless you're weirdly vocal during sex, surely you can keep your mouths shut?!

Original poster

HelpMeHiveMind · 20/01/2022 12:02

@stingofthebutterfly I guess it does depend on layout. It's the fact one wall of our room would literally attach to one of theirs that I'm not sure about....the beds would be basically back to back if that makes sense. And this is older DCs (mid teen) we are talking about, not blissfully unaware bubbas.

OP posts:

17to35 · 20/01/2022 15:00

I notice from American home renovation tv that the preferred option seems to be a ground floor main suite (they say first floor) and the children's bedrooms upstairs leading to a large landing (bonus area) where the children can play/hang out.

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