What do you think of kids sharing rooms?

Question

We have a three bedroom house and three kids, so my two girls are sharing. One is 5 the other is a baby. The only thing is 5 year old is messy and likes to spread her toys out when playing games and when i go in to get baby in and out of cot it frustrates me. Also sometimes the 5 year old cant play in there with light on or curtains open. I would like to get another house with 4 bedrooms but it seems like a drastic option. Other child is a boy so wouldnt get him to share with either of the others. Just wondering what other people think of kids sharing rooms?

Answer 1

I grew up and shared a room with my sister who is 4 years younger than me. I hated every miserable minute of it, especially when I got older. I never had any privacy and she was a complete slob. I am very neat, almost obsessive so I could not deal with the constant mess. And when it was room cleaning time I had to do half because it was half my room, but it was ALL her mess. To this day I can not really tolerate my sister and I contribute a large portion of it to the years I spent sharing such tight quarters with her. When my third daughter came along we just were not ready to move, it was too much of a financial burdon. It got to the point when they were 4 and 7 that they were arguing about toys and quiet time. The little one would mess up the room and the older one would have to clear a path to her bed. I noticed that I was brewing the same situation that I grew up in so we moved last year, when my girls were 5 and 7. They were so sad when they got their own rooms that the little one slept with the older one for a week. I was confused because a month prior they were screaming at eachother about dolls and clean up? They still have sleep overs in eachothers rooms every other weekend. So I would say you are in no rush. It seems like it is more of an inconvience to you right now. Your 5 year old will adjust to the new situation and the baby will learn to sleep through her sisters play sessions. As they start to get older I would think about it because having private space is important for some people. Maybe your girls will not be as private as I am. But if one of them is then you might have a problem.

Answer 2

Well, Mom, perhaps you ought to have the baby in with you and your husband until the baby girl sleeps thru the nite and your five year old can expect to have some kind of a life that doesn't always revolve around the baby! Or make a play area for your five year old just for her things , a special place for when baby is napping and she can't play in her room. I know it can be tough when there is little room, as i had three little ones sharing one bedroom for awhile when we lived in an apartment. But at that time I had a portacrib and the baby slept in the living room at nite, so her older sisters (one and two) could sleep, then during the day she slept in my bedroom, while the older ones were up and she wasn't. I would plan on eventually getting a larger home, as I never had more then three bedrooms either and by the time they hit junior high sharing a bedroom was a nightmare! I used to switch them around every four months so someone always had a turn in a room of their own! Good luck Mom!

Answer 3

I think that you need to teach your 5 year old on how to pick up her toys after she plays with them. She is old enough to understand now. She should be able to take them out and put them away before going to bed. She can't do this alone at the beginning, so you need to guide her until she is able to do it on her own.

You can also make a chart to where she can mark down a check where she has picked up her toys or cleaned up her room. And praise her by giving her either a treat or tokens (fake money), which she can use to buy something small at the Dollar Store or teach her how to save it in a toy bank. But, it will take some time as she goes. Just be patient.

Just find another place where your 5 year old can play at. Have her choose a few toys from her toy box to take with her.

Remember, she is just 5 years old and kids her age, do get bored fast. No need to get a bigger home. Do what you can with what you have now. If your income does grow, then it is an option to get a bigger home, but right now, they are so young and they just need guidance.

Answer 4

Well I always shared a room when I was growing up. I have six children and there are two to each room. Make shelves that are higher up for the older children and such. There are ways you can be creative so they can still have their own space. Also I think it is good for children to share rooms because it teaches them sharing. :) Children have too many things handed to them now and they do not appreciate any of it. Children expect to have their own rooms and their own toys and just anything they want basically. I think it builds character and team work to share a room.

Answer 5

do not you dare placed a 15 365 days old boy and a 9 365 days old woman interior of an identical room! And even as I commend you on adoption, why are you doing it in case you may not real look after them? that could no longer the issue, the lads really share a room!

Answer 6

Tell her when she is done with a toy she must put it away befor getting another toy. You may want to seriously consider a larger house. What are you going to do when the children get older. You may want to give the girls the larger bedroom.

Answer 7

Nothing is wrong with it,a lot of people have a house & have a few kids & the only option is for somebody to share a room.

Answer 8

When I was 5 my little sister was born and I had to share a room with her. At first it was ok, but after about 2 years it wasn't very fun.

Answer 9

if you havent got any spare bedrooms you have no option, but it will be tough for the five year old, having to put up with the babys needs, as you will be aware little kids live in their own world and need space,

Answer 10

sience the girls arent in middle skool yet they should be fine