If you have very different-sized bedrooms, how do you (fairly) assign them among siblings?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
We have one child and are expecting our second, and we're trying to figure out what the best bedroom configuration is. Our house has three bedrooms upstairs, so this seems like a no-brainer, but the sizes are really different.
None of the bedrooms is technically a "master," and none has a private bathroom aside from the one in the hallway. DH and I sleep have the largest bedroom with the best layout. There's another large-ish bedroom but with an awkward layout, and we currently use this as an office/crafts/storage room. DS#1 sleeps in the smallest bedroom, which is cozy but really small. Is it a big issue if the size of DS#1's bedroom and DS#2's bedrooms is vastly different? We are thinking we'll move DS#1 into the office room and turn his old room into the baby's room. This will be great when DS#2 is a baby because it's a little closer to our bedroom door and is a cozy little room. But DS#1 will end up with a really big room, and as DS#2 gets bigger, I feel like this might become an issue. We could have them share the larger room and use the smaller one as a shared playroom or office space for everyone, but it seems like it'd be better for them to have separate rooms, since they will be almost 4 years apart. (But maybe I'm wrong about this -- should I be thinking more seriously about having them share, and if so, starting at what age?) We'll probably have the baby in our room for at least the first 3 months, but I think it might be good to make the room change before the baby comes so that DS#1 doesn't feel like the baby is "stealing" his room or anything. Does that seem like a good idea? How do you handle bedrooms? |
Anonymous
| Oldest gets the largest. |
Anonymous
+1 Stop fretting about it. |
Anonymous
+1. Then when the oldest goes to college, the younger can move into the bigger room |
Anonymous
|
Definitely move your DS early if you're going to move him. But they might enjoy sharing rooms, some kids really do.
In the long run, they can take turns. My sister and I always liked to swap our rooms and re-decorate. Or they might not care. Or the one in the smaller room can have a really cool loft bed. |
Anonymous
|
We just told each kid to go to the bedrooms they wanted when we were moving in. We have four kids. Son (oldest) picked the middle bedroom. Oldest DD at first picked biggest bedroom with private bath. Then when two youngest DD's said they wanted to share bedrooms, she offered to give up the big bedroom so they could share that, and she took the smaller bedroom closest to the bathroom she shares with DS.
There were no squabbles ever. Bigger doesn't always mean cozier. When we just had two, we moved DS out of the biggest bedroom (different house from above para) into a smaller one and new baby got it. We referred to it as "the baby room" and "the big kid room" so he was perfectly content to switch rooms. No big deal. |
Anonymous
Says the oldest.... |
Anonymous
It is, IMO, a very silly thing to worry about. A newborn won't care and the older child will be thrilled to get a big boy/big girl room. |
Anonymous
|
Have them share a bedroom and don't worry about it.
Seriously - the child isn't born yet. Maybe you will move before it is an issue. |
Anonymous
Why would you have them share in this situation? It seems most logical to have the oldest in the bigger bedroom and youngest in the smaller and deal with any issues if they arise. And if the kids want to share later, then they could share, but I certainly wouldn't do this off the bat if you have the option of having a baby in a separate room. The wakeups are a nightmare when both kids are up because the youngest can't sleep. |
Anonymous
|
In your case, I'd move DS1 to the bigger room, and not worry about it. They are far enough apart in age that by the time DS2 starts to care, college will just be around the corner for DS1. Or as PPs have mentioned, just do something to make DS2s room cool if he feels his brother is getting preferential treatment.
If you want to maintain your guestroom/office though, I'd definitely consider having them share. Our guest room gets a lot of use, so if we have a third (we have a 4 bedroom house), we plan on keeping the guest room and having our sons share for as long as feasible. They'd probably love to share now, but it seems silly given the extra space. |
Anonymous
| Oldest gets the largest. |
Anonymous
| When do they start to care usually? Around what age? |
Anonymous
|
Our younger-by-one-year child is already asking why the older child has the bigger bedroom and stating that it isn't fair. They are 6 and 5.
How far apart in age will your kids be? |
Anonymous
| We are keeping oldest in the smaller room. And eventually will have the two share the larger room until the older wants his own space. Then we can figure out who moves back to smaller room. (It's very small, not enough room for a glider and ottoman with crib). I hadn't really worried about it, just went with what seemed logistically more feasible for the immediate term. |