Do children need a big backyard and house?

Question

My husband and I are in our mid 20's. We planned to have children once we were debt free (our house was paid off).

We are finally paying off our house in a few months, but my mother-in-law is now saying she thinks our house might not be big enough for children.

She thinks it might be a good idea to sell our house and buy a bigger one when we have more than one child.

Our house is 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and is 1,650 square feet.

Our backyard is fairly small, it is pretty much a very large patio. We plan on making it all cement since it is too small for grass.

We are planning on having two children, possibly three at the most.

I live in California and now that house prices have gone sky high, I really don't we could afford to buy another house now.

Plus, we really don't want to get another house loan since we will be 100% debt free.

Do you think our house and yard are too small for 2 or 3 children?

Answer 1

its big enough

Answer 2

A 3bdrm, 2.5ba house that has that much square footage should be more than plenty for 2-3 kids. It sounds like a big house, so you could possibly change an extra room that you have into another bedroom when the time comes.

Yes, children need a backyard to play in, whether it's small or big. They need to get out and excersize!! But if you live close to a park, or know of a good school playground, then that will work just as well. Probably even better because then the whole family can get off the bums and get out of the house together!

I think it's awesome that your house is just about paid for. That will help you out so much when you decide to have kids. It's really stressful worrying about all the house expenses, repairs and having enough to financially tend to your childrens needs. Many people make it work and bravo to them! But not that many are in the situation that you are in, so consider yourself lucky!!

And don't take what M-I-L has to say to heart. It's your life, your house, your family...do what you want!

Good Luck!!

Answer 3

That really depends on how close you are to playgrounds and other sources of entertainment for the children. They do need a place to run and play and let off steam. It need not be their own yard as long as you're willing to take them elsewhere regularly.

You will also have to teach them how to behave in their home. There is no reason for them to run around wildly or have toys scattered everywhere. They should learn early on to respect their home and their belongings.

Children are very adaptable; they learn to accept what they have unless others begin to tell them they don't have enough.

Your children may have to share a bedroom. There is nothing wrong with that.

Too many toys and big toys might get in the way. Buy wisely.

You may be able to make the patio into an additional room - perhaps a playroom to start with. This may require a short term loan, but once you have no mortgage, such a loan should be easy to manage.

You're smart to be thinking of this now. There are some who will say you need bigger and better and more and more. Perhaps, fiscally, there is some sense to it, but I never agreed. My home has been my home, not an investment for the future. As it turns out, it has increased in value over the 20 plus years we've lived here, but that is frosting on the cake. One day we will be ready to find a new home. But just remember, it's not the size of the home that matters, but the size of the hearts in it.

Answer 4

I think that wanting to be debt free so that you can provide more for your children is much more important than buying a bigger house. You can always bring your kids to the park to play, and they can still have a place outside to play on the patio. They even make these little rubber mats that you can put down when your kids are young so if they crawl around out there or trip and fall, they fall onto the mats, not concrete.

Also, does your mother-in-law live near you? If she does, you might want to ask her how she would feel about having to get on a plane to visit her grandchildren - because if you had to get a bigger house, you would have to move to a different part of the country where the housing prices are lower (you probably wouldn't, but it may make her lay off). I would also have your husband talk to her about it and let her know that most people are not able to be debt free when they have kids, and this is a great opportunity for the two of you to be able to provide more for your children than if you also had a mortgage to pay every month.

I don't think that kids need a huge backyard and all of that. Lots of kids live in apartments or condos, and they go to the park if they want to play. If you have enough space for your kids to live, eat, & sleep, then I think it's fine. Kids share bedrooms all the time (if you have 3 kids, you have one room for the girl(s) and one for the boy(s).

Good Luck!!

Answer 5

some people have a field and do nothing and some people have a foot and do all.

I think amount of rooms would be most considered in my case. I would say a bedroom for the kid/s an extra room for a second kid and a play room. I relative of mine uses the basement as a huge den/playroom for the kids. It works well considering the toys that kids build up over time. It's nice to be able to save toys and other kid's items and not worry about space.

For the yard I guess depend in activity of the children. I had a good size yard which was utilized to an extent but think I could of got by just fine with less.

Best of Luck. I would avoid debt of another house since you are paid off at such an early age. Keep you financials open for fun things like trips etc. As a kid I think some of the most fun times were travel.

Answer 6

If you have access to a park it doesn't matter how small your yard is. A home with 3 bedrooms is big enough for 2 kids and even three if 2 of them share a room. The extra bathrooms are a help too. Go with your instincts about debt, if you stay where you are the money you were paying for a mortgage can be put into a college fund. Is there any better gift for a child? A back yard is nice, but it's not a necessity. If you make it all cement, you can get a rubber playmat for them to play on and cut down on bumps and bruises. Once they are old enough to ride bikes they are going to want to be out on the sidewalks anyway. Parks are wonderful because they are free and there are other kids to play with. Don't listen to your mother-in-law.

Answer 7

personally I had a big back yard and a big house growing up... but I also didn't have any neighborhood kids to play with, only my older brother. I think as long as there is a park near by that you can take your kids to regularly, it shouldn't be an issue that you dont have a large back yard.

One good idea would be to put potted plants (think small tree varieties and bushes) around your patio area and a small swing set, so your kids can still have some play options in the back yard.

If your house has a basement, as the kids get older it could be possible for you to convert the basement into useable rooms, allowing for more bedroom space if needed as well.

You definately shouldn't have a problem having 2 or 3 kids in that size of a house.

Answer 8

I think you and your husband need to explore your priorities, and not listen to anyone else.

If being debt-free is most important then buying a house may create a lot of unnecessary stress. (kids are going to add a type of stress anyway, whether good or bad...)

Also, there is a lot of extra money for kids and stuff they need and activities they will participate in without a mortgage! Think of the wonderful vacations you can take!

(I am surely jealous because our cost of living is insane... our property taxes have quadrupled in 7 years and it gets harder and harder, but we can't move because our house is worth double what we bought it for 7 years ago, so downsizing in this area is impossible)

On the other hand, what is your personality? Will you go crazy wih kids running around inside? Will they be completely bored playing in a cement yard? (not that you can't fill it with a sandbox or little trucks or whatever.) Are you happy and comfortable with the kids in the little back yard so you can supervise them easily? Are you going to want to play catch or ball in the backyard?

How much do you plan on being home with them? Will you be there all day with your kids (and their friends during playdates) or will you work and have them at a daycare or school?

Do you have parks and play areas within walking distance?

I've lived happily in a 1200 square foot townhouse with 2 kids, and some neighbors had 3 or 4 kids. However, for me, it was important to have grass and a little garden and some place for the baby pool.... it was small but comfy.

I now live in a much, much bigger house, with over an acre of land.... we are still comfy, but it's different. (we can have more company at one time!! ha ha!) The biggest difference is as the kids get bigger, they need some place to make noise and I am happy with a basement! (we have winter here so there are many months of mostly indoor play.)

My friend lives in Manhatten with a tiny ledge only for plants.... the door leads out to a hallway, so there is no yard at all. Two kids share one bedroom, and they have a dog and a cat. But the kids walk everyplace, the schools have play parks, and they get plenty of air and exercise. It's how all their friends live, but they also travel out of the city frequently to visit family.

One last thing.... I find you are happiest when you are living in a similar manner to most of your friends and/or family. If you live in a similar neighborhood or type of house, it won't be such an issue. If you feel that you are in a tiny house and everyone else you know has much bigger homes, how will that make you feel? Do you love your house and neighborhood? Or are you settling just to be debt-free?

Three bedrooms is usually plenty for 2-3 kids, because certainly kids can share. Children will be happy with what they have if you are happy.

YOU must decide for yourself how you want to live, and what is important to you. And, just know, as you have children and you grow older, your values may change, so just be open-minded.

Good luck!

Answer 9

I live in CA as well, so I know what you are talking about. Your house sounds like it would be fine for 2-3 kids. We have a 3 bedroom house too and we just had our first baby 4 months ago. He has his own room and we have an office too. We want to have more kids at least 1, maybe 2 more. You can make a 3 bedroom house work if thats what is best for your family. Being out of debt is a great thing, and that means that you will be able to take care of your kids and not worry about being able to pay your mortgage. The bottom line is that kids need parents that love them. A roof over their head and food for them to eat are VERY close seconds. Everything else is just extra. Your backyard isn't huge? Take your kids to a park when they want to play! Don't have enough room for everyone to have their own room? Have them share a room and become very close! Look at the things you do have and be grateful for them. You're blessed to be so young and own your own home! Hope this helps!

Answer 10

I'm not sure about dimensions - but just looking at how many bedrooms you have. If you have 2 kids of the same sex within a few years of each other, a 2 bedroom home will do - and 3 would be plenty. If you have 3 kids, then a 3 bedroom is perfect. I wouldn't put more than 2 kids of the same sex in a bedroom. I have 5 children - 3 boys, 2 girls. Expecting twins. We live in a 5 bedroom home, with 3 full baths. We have 2 family/living rooms, kitchen/dining room area...it's a big house. Own an acre of land. We're looking to turn one of our family rooms into another bedroom, to accomodate the twins.

Answer 11

Congratulations on paying off your house in your 20s! That is very commendable and will give you and your family alot of stability which is more important than a big house and yard. Make sure they get out to play in the park etc. but you are doing just fine.
Don't you wait another moment to bring a beautiful baby into this world! If you do get crowded and decide to look for a larger place remember that YOUR house value also went up. If you can sell yours first, you will have a great down payment.