I shared a bathroom with my family. There was no storage. Personal products were kept in the bedroom.

The kids sharing get the bigger room. A 10yo doesn’t get to dictate wanting her own bathroom. She needs to check her privilege.

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Appreciate privacy, not approach privacy. Also, from the kids’ ages, it sounds like the two youngest kids are her step-brothers. It sounds like she’s had a lot of changes in her family/living situation in her young life.

The younger two are technically her half brothers.

I'd give DD the biggest bedroom. The two little boys only need to share until DS is off to college at which time they'll be 11 and 8 and can each get their own rooms.

But also, we don't keep toys in bedrooms, just beds and dressers. I'd pick the room that works best for two twin beds for the smaller 2. And your older DS should have a room with a queen so that his room can be the guest room when guests visit.

PP here. Appreciate privacy, not approach privacy. Also, from the kids’ ages, it sounds like the two youngest kids are her step-brothers. It sounds like she’s had a lot of changes in her family/living situation in her young life.

Anonymous wrote:There’s a difference between sharing with your own little brother vs. an older step-brother you don’t know as well. I’d give her her own en-suite.

+1. Interesting responses here—most people want a guest bathroom/powder room so guests (including relatives) don’t see medication, tampons, personal care items, etc, but a tween girl should be forced to give up her privacy by her step-brother seeing all of this? Just because they’re both close now doesn’t mean they won’t approach privacy in the future.

yeah definitely kids sharing get the larger room.

Thanks everyone! DD will have to deal. She is extremely spoiled and we’re trying to get her out of that. This seems trivial but will be a big step for us as parents and a big lesson for her.

Anonymous wrote:So...what is the age gap between the 10 and 11 year old, anyway? Less than 9 months?

OP here. No, they’re more like 19 months apart. DD’s father is my ex, she and DSS don’t share a parent.

Kids sharing get the bigger room. DD is lucky to have her own room and can share a bath. Also, she's 10 and should not get to dictate this decision. FWIW, I have 6 brothers and always shared a bath with some of them. She will be fine.

Little boys take the big room with the en-suite. DD takes and room and stepson takes a room. DD has her own bathroom most of the time except when stepson is there.

This is a no brained. DD is not in charge.

So...what is the age gap between the 10 and 11 year old, anyway? Less than 9 months?

Anonymous wrote:There’s a difference between sharing with your own little brother vs. an older step-brother you don’t know as well. I’d give her her own en-suite.

I don't understand why. It's just a bathroom. They don't have to be in there together.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved it to a larger house with another bathroom when my DD was 11 in part so that my daughter could have her own bathroom with two younger brothers. Your DD is 10 now but she will soon be 13, 14, 16... I would go ahead and give her the en suite.

And the little boys will be 4/7, 5/8, 7/10. You don’t think they’ll need the bigger room at that point? Sharing a bathroom occasionally is seriously nbd.

OP here. Good point. I didn’t really fully consider that the little ones will also get older. This also doesn’t need to be a permanent arrangement. There is a bedroom and full bath in the basement as well. It’s just that neither of the older kids want to be in the basement now so it’ll be a guest room for now.

Perfect. Put DD in a smaller room, hall bath shared with step-son. Little kids get larger room with en-suite bath.

In 3-4 years, if DD wants more space/privacy, she can move to the basement and then little brothers can each have their own room.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved it to a larger house with another bathroom when my DD was 11 in part so that my daughter could have her own bathroom with two younger brothers. Your DD is 10 now but she will soon be 13, 14, 16... I would go ahead and give her the en suite.

And the little boys will be 4/7, 5/8, 7/10. You don’t think they’ll need the bigger room at that point? Sharing a bathroom occasionally is seriously nbd.

OP here. Good point. I didn’t really fully consider that the little ones will also get older. This also doesn’t need to be a permanent arrangement. There is a bedroom and full bath in the basement as well. It’s just that neither of the older kids want to be in the basement now so it’ll be a guest room for now.