Bedroom Sharing Arrangements

[alpidarkomama]

We have four kids, and right now we have DD7 and DD4 sharing a room and DS5 and DS3 sharing a room. However, DD4 is really sing-songy/noisy most of the time, especially when she wakes up and DD7 cherishes peace and quiet. She would LOVE to have her own room. The three youngest could happily share a room. She doesn't bother them like she bothers oldest daughter. The room is plenty big enough to have three of them sharing so DD could have the smaller room to herself. I'm afraid that she would get TOO used to having it to herself, though, and when DD would need to move back in in a year or two it might be twice as difficult to make the change. So... I'm here needing advice! :bigear:

 

Thanks!

[sheryl]

Oh, how sweet. I really don't know what to say on this one. Overall, it may be difficult to shuffle now and again in 2 years. What if the 3 find new issues with one another? Even the best of kids do sometimes.

 

However, I could see it working on a very short term basis as you described.

 

Is there a way to take your budding little singer and explain everything to her....I know, she's young. Maybe just having a rule that once the girls enter their bedroom with pj's on to sleep...no singing??? Or maybe have 1-2 sing alongs and afterwards, no singing. That's hard, but it's just to establish boundaries which all having a "point" at which to start.

 

Wish I could be more helpful....:001_smile:

[alpidarkomama]

She's gotten better about not singing in the morning, but she's just one of those kids that whatever she does, it's loud. Walks loudly, talks loudly, moves loudly, plays loudly. She's just very active, and older dd is very tranquil. Even if she's not singing in bed, she's kicking her covers or sighing or flicking her fingers around or... She's our firecracker! :)

[AK_Mom4]

My two girls have shared a very small bedroom until this year. We had the same problem with my younger daughter - she never stops talking and singing unless she is asleep. I finally made a rule when she was about 3 that when the lights were off, she had to be quiet. This was out of respect for her older sister and for others in the house. If DD wanted to sing in the morning, she had to get up out of bed and come downstairs.

 

It only took a few times being reminded of the rule (and, yes, busted for breaking it deliberately) before it became an established tradition.

 

One thing that helped was soft music or audio books playing at night while younger DD was going to sleep.

 

BTW - this year, we converted our playroom into a bedroom for DD9, so they all have their own bedrooms now. If you want to give your older DD her own room, do you have another room you could repurpose? Maybe an office?

 

ETA: just read your update....I would start letting your older DD stay up another hour so that younger DD is asleep when she goes to bed. That might help while you figure out what to do.

Edited January 25, 2011 by AK_Mom4

[Denise Allen]

I agree that it might be a difficult transition in a few years when they would need to move back together.

 

Maybe if the "firecracker" wakes before your other daughter, she could just leave the room quietly so your other daughter can have a bit of peace in the morning?

 

My 13 yr. old daughter shares with our 3 yr. old son. She loves it, but he is rowdy in the morning & she is NOT a morning person. We usually open the door & bring him out to give her a bit of wake up time.

 

** Also, for my 3 yr. olds "nap" time he goes to my room- so my daughter has time in her room alone each day. Maybe you could work something like this out at various times of the day

[Snickerdoodle]

The joys of living with siblings. I'm in the "deal with it" camp.

[Puma Mom]

I would give it a try after a long talk and maybe even a signed contract ;) stating that dd7 is aware and agrees not to fight the fact that she will likely lose her single room in a year or two.

 

In a year or two, both girls might better be able to tolerate and adjust for each other.

[Laurie4b]

My two girls have shared a very small bedroom until this year. We had the same problem with my younger daughter - she never stops talking and singing unless she is asleep. I finally made a rule when she was about 3 that when the lights were off, she had to be quiet. This was out of respect for her older sister and for others in the house. If DD wanted to sing in the morning, she had to get up out of bed and come downstairs.

 

It only took a few times being reminded of the rule (and, yes, busted for breaking it deliberately) before it became an established tradition.

 

One thing that helped was soft music or audio books playing at night while younger DD was going to sleep.

 

ETA: just read your update....I would start letting your older DD stay up another hour so that younger DD is asleep when she goes to bed. That might help while you figure out what to do.

 

This sounds like great advice.

One thing I would add: firecrackers don't often change all that much. So it's likely that you'll have the same problem in a couple years, only older dd will have had a couple years of things exactly the way she likes them and dd 4 will not have had to practice any self-control in between. I'd take the bull by the horns now.