Room sharing

[cheezpoofs]

Some states have laws against room sharing for children of opposite sexes after a certain age, as well.

Ideally, I'd like for each of my children to have their own rooms, but it isn't crucial. If the new baby is a girl, it will be pretty easy to figure out how to split them up. If the new baby is a boy, my middle son will room share with whoever it works out best for him to share with (probably big brother at first, though you never know....). I would not even consider room sharing my eldest with the baby, though, because he's very rambunctious and doesn't always sleep when he is supposed to. I wouldn't want to room a baby in with a six or eight year old either and in your current situation, I'd strongly consider waiting to try for a new baby until I had the extra room because of the age spread and awkward room sharing possibilities. The novelty of having a baby share their room would probably wear off very quickly for a six or eight year old and I know I probably would have been a little resentful of having to share my space at that and older ages, especially with someone so much younger than I.

[joeslittlewoman]

My boys thought they wanted their own rooms when we moved, but ended up insisting on staying together. We put them to bed at different times though, because they are crazy hyper (they are 2.5 and 3.5). Our march baby will likely room with us for the first 18-24 months, then we will decide if all three boys will sleep in the same room, or is ds3 will get a separate room.

[Green Decals]

Originally Posted by cheezpoofs Some states have laws against room sharing for children of opposite sexes after a certain age, as well.

Seriously? Who comes up with those laws, and how the heck do they enforce them?

ETA: No references given here, but this makes sense.

[Mom2Connor]

Originally Posted by Green Decals Seriously? Who comes up with those laws, and how the heck do they enforce them? ETA: No references given here, but this makes sense.

Usually those kind of things only become an issue when cps is otherwise involved. It then becomes something the parent(s) must change.

[chillimom]

We plan to have our girls share a room (due in April with DD2). DD1 is 2 1/2. We do have two empty bedrooms, including one on the same floor as our room and DD1s, but have opted to have the girls share. The spare bedroom upstairs is set up as a playroom/guest room and our DS (autistic, lives in a residential care home) uses it when he comes over, and so does the young man (autistic) we provide respite for. The spare room downstairs is too far away for a little one for me to be comfortable.

I don't see any problem with sharing a bedroom - I shared a room with my step sisters when we were teenagers. It taught us conflict resolution skills

[EmilyDan]

I can see why you would be uncomfortable putting two school age children of the opposite sex in the same room. Also, unless your older child is a very deep sleeper who wouldn't wake up, it doesn't seem fair to put a newborn in his/her room when the baby will be waking up multiple times a night to eat. I would keep the baby in your room until he/she is sleeping through the night, and then move the baby in with the older same sex child.

[Shaylee]

Originally Posted by lizgrace07 How about just having the older kids share a room for a year or two and then put the then toddler in with the same gender sibling and the other sibling would have their own room?

I agree with this!

My big and middle are currently sharing.

First, I had middle in with the baby, but baby is such a great napper/sleeper it didn't seem fair that my middle couldn't go in his room when baby was resting.

All of mine are the same gender so a few years from now it might be middle and little together again.

I guess it will come down to what works best in your family. DS #3 was in our room for almost 7 months so you likely have a few options depending on genders and personalities.

[tesslouise]

When I was a kid my cousins (b/g twins plus a sister two years younger) ALL shared one room. Then when my siblings and I spent the night there were six of us! Later they added on to the house and the kids spread out from one room to two and then (as teenagers) three rooms.

There comes an age when IMO it's more important to separate opposite-sex siblings; in fact I was thrilled to get my own room when I was 11 or 12, even though I'd been sharing with my sister. I think the age at which a child needs/wants her or his own space is going to vary widely. Hence the kids in this thread who are thrilled to share...and those who aren't.