MomtoCandJ Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 How long can I reasonably expect dd (who will be 5 in November) to share a room with a little brother (if beaner is a boy, due February 2nd)? I'm trying to kind of plan a head because we would need to build an additional bedroom for the boy but would like to pay cash for it. We already have a contractor (dfil) and dh would be helping him so pretty much we have little if any labor costs. Oh and experiences with mobile home additions would be great :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Honestly, we're thinking of moving our 6yo boy and 3 yo girl in together. We've discovered while camping in a trailer that they stay in bed (not climbing in with us in the middle of the night) when they are in the same room. If it were me, I'd keep the baby in my room until they were a year or so and sleeping well and then put them in together. I wouldn't worry about boy/girl sharing until one of them was at least 8 or 9. (Even then I wouldn't be overly concerned. They can always change clothes in the bathroom) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Mine are doing it--- 11.5 g and 8yo b They are doing fine Change clothes in bathroom and be modest around each other. I might change things up later (put all three girls in one room) but for us, this is working now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticmomma Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 We have an 8.5 yo girl, 6 yo boy and 3.5 yo girl room sharing right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHASRADA Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Mine shared a room until they were 10b and 7g. Really, their room was a place to play with their toys and to sleep. Dressing was done in the bathroom. Now that they're teens, it wouldn't work, but for ages 10/11 and under, it really wasn't an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I don't know about anyone else, but most 5 year old girls I've known love to be in with the baby. It makes them feel even more like they're helping. On the other question, it depends on your family dynamic. If they get along, siblings before puberty can share a room easily. I shared a room with my brother and sister when I was 7 and my brother was 6 (1st & 2nd grade). I didn't think anything of it. Depending on your personalities, I would look to separate by the time the girl was 10 (at the latest). At that point a 5 year old brother would probably annoy the privacy of a growing preteen, even if they get along well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Well the baby would be with us for at least the first 6 months, so maybe 4 years of sharing is reasonable. That should give us plenty of time :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Ours are 8yob, 6yob, and 3yog. They all sleep in the same room, even though DD has her own room, because I needed a break from her being in our bed. I'm thinking of keeping beds/clothes in one room and making her room a playroom. I'm not sure how long it will be before ODS will want some space, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I'd say at least until puberty hits. Mine are 11 (girl) and 8 (boy) and they share a room. They change in the bathroom like a pp said. We are thinking about separating them only bc frankly it's hard to share a room with a very hormonal pre-teen. I think it would be good for dd to have her own space, but we are able to make it work with the current arrangement as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
---- Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 my 11 yo shares with her 5 yo brother and she has since he was tiny. I gave her the choice last week to move in with her older sister and let the 8 yo sister move in with brother. She politely declined, telling me she will just share with brother till oldest goes to college. They close the door when they change, and I try to teach them modesty and respect for the privacy of others. (IOW, knock before entering and if someone asks you to leave you leave.) I figure that if pioneers could grow up in the house the size of my living room, my kids can share rooms. But we do teach consideration for others and respect for privacy. OP, I'd say you have plenty of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I think T'smom has an interesting point. How well does your daughter sleep? If your daughter doesn't get to sleep easily or doesn't like to stay in her own bed, having a baby waking her every few hours may make things more difficult for you. I only put babies in with hard sleepers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 My oldest two shared a room until they were about 11 and 12 (boy and girl). They took turns dressing or dressed in the bathroom. It worked out fine. They had fun sharing a room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 All 4 of my kids share a room. It has not been an issue thus far but we are really hoping to be able to move by next summer so we can have 3 bedrooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 we kept our oldest two in together until the oldest was more worried about privacy than being scared of the dark. that was the month he turned ten and she turned eight. our youngest is supposed to move in with her big sister, but she's such a night owl that we have her in her own bed in our room; otherwise, older dd wouldn't ever get any sleep. hmm, why is my phone opposed to starting sentences with capitals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Essentially, my three youngest (two older boys and one girl) shared a room from the time she was 2 1/2 until she was almost 5. My older boys are three and five years older than her. It worked out just fine. Younger dd has her own room now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 This thread makes me feel a bit better. I really want to get my oldest into a boy only room by the time he is 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 My 10 yr old girl and 7 yr old boy share. Actually they CHOOSE to sleep in the same room as we are a family of 4, living in a 4 bedroom house. So... We are moving to a two bedroom and they will continue to share for at least another year. DD is very modest and always changes in the bathroom with a locked door, even now, so really not much will change at all except the size of the living quarters that I have to keep clean. Yay! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Thanks everyone :) I shared with my youngest brother and we were about 5 years apart as well. My mom just didn't trust my other brother with him. Seeing how this wasn't a safety issue I just wasn't sure. (My parents has put up a curtain to "seperate" the room but littlest brother would end up in my bed with bad dreams and what not.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 My older two were in a room together until DS was 9 and DD was 6. They were fine with it. Do see if there are any laws about this for your state, though. I seem to recall that some states do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Hmmmm does any one know if Michigan does? I haven't known of any but then again it hasn't been on my radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I'm pretty sure the laws are about foster children. My kids shared by choice until they were 7 and 4. I would've been fine going longer. I have a friend whose B/G twins were still sharing at 11 because they wanted to. I imagine this is the first generation who feels kids are entitled to their own rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 In every major city around the world, there are opposite gender kids sharing bedrooms until they leave home. It's a fact of life due to small living spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I'm pretty sure the laws are about foster children. Googling around, I think you may be right. There are lots of people saying things about state laws, but the only times people actually point to laws, it's about foster care. I really thought I saw stuff about some states' laws when looking into it in the past, but couldn't name specifics because my state didn't have a law about it, so I didn't pay a whole lot of attention :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I'm pretty sure the laws are about foster children. :iagree: I'm not aware of any laws regarding biological siblings sharing rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Well dd was an only child up until now. Dd's friends share a room but they are sisters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyfordlr Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I think the opposite sex room sharing could be a problem if you're renting...I know friends had to get a bigger apt years ago in Illinois. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 We own so that isn't a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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