With a new baby on the way, my thoughts have been turning to where everybody is going to sleep once the new baby is old enough to leave our bedroom.
You’d think having moved into a four bedroom house that we’d have plenty of room for each of us to have our own bedroom, but no such luck. Our smallest bedroom is taken up by my husband’s bikes, turbo trainer and mountain of cycling clothes and it’s my desire to have another bedroom perfect for guests. This leaves us with our master bedroom and a second bedroom which is big enough to house two children, assuming of course I have another boy.
But am I being unfair on them by making them share a room for the sake of a guest room that may be used once in a blue moon? As an only child, I have no idea what it’s like the share a bedroom with a sibling, unlike my husband who shared with his younger brother for years. It’s something we’ve discussed in depth as we are ready to start decorating the second bedroom and want it to be right if we decide the two children will share. Here are our thoughts.
Pros:
A space for our guests
We live so far away from my family and also my sister in law and her family, and we’d love to have the space so that they can stay over whenever they like without them having to book into a hotel. Selfishly, it would also be great for babysitting purposes if my husband and I ever fancy a night away, a family member could sleep over making things easier for the kids. My husband disagrees though, and thinks we’d be best off with a sofa bed that we can quickly make up in one of the bedrooms and only make the kids share on a ad-hoc basis.
Investing in gorgeous bunk beds
I always wanted a bunk bed as a child, but as an only child without siblings, it was never going to happen. Investing in a gorgeous bunk bed for kids would give the bedroom lots of extra space for Kallax shelves, activity tables and most importantly, wardrobe space for the never ending mountain of clothes I end up buying.
Learning how to share
What better way to learn how to share than to share a bedroom when you’re a child? Learning how to share personal space is important as well as sharing toys and games. I want to raise my children to be caring, sharing young adults and I think by sharing a room they’ll develop the skills needed to be so.
Cons:
Bickering due to lack of space
My husband only has memories of the amount of bickering he did with his brother growing up due to them sharing a bedroom. I think this would also have a huge impact on the family as I can imagine both me and my husband getting fed up of endless squabbling and having to sort out petty arguments. If we have the space, why not utilise is so everyone has their own personal space.
Mental health affected by lack of solo time
As a teenager time alone in my room listening to music, writing in my diary or simply lying on my bed thinking was super important. A lot of parents want to drag their kids out of their rooms as they feel they’re shutting themselves away, but really that time alone really helps you figure stuff out. Being a teenager is hard and I wouldn’t want my kids feeling they need to leave the house, which should be a safe space, to get some alone time because their brother is in their way in their room. A bedroom is a sacred space when you’re a teenager and the last thing you need is someone invading that space.
Keeping each other awake
Dexter is a fantastic sleeper and has been since he was pretty much born, I don’t want him to suddenly be kept awake night after night by his sibling who will more than likely move out of our room when he’s 6-12 months old. In turn, toddlers are prone to nightly wake ups and I wouldn’t want Dexter disturbing his sibling if he decides to get out of bed in the middle of the night if he needs a drink or Mummy cuddles.
I guess the debate is over and the answer to my question is, no the children won’t be sharing a room. As much as I’d love a space for guests, the mental well being of my children is more important and I want them to be able to be creative and safe in their rooms which will be a reflection of them and their personalities. I loved having my own room as a child, being able to decorate it to my own taste, having my own space to reflect and do homework and most importantly, being able to get a good night’s sleep without being disturbed. Now, just to get a move on with getting not one, but two bedrooms decorated before this baby gets here! I guess there goes my childhood dream of having a bunk bed. Did you know you can even get a triple bunk bed these days? Wedgwood Interiors has a good list of 9 triple bunk beds you look at. Maybe I can look into using them in a guest room some day…