Do your kids share a room?

[Sonya]

So the twins are 3 and they have to share a room. All was well until we moved them out of their toddler beds and into a double bed. (It was what we had at the time) Well apparently sharing a bed is too much excitement. For the last 3 weeks they have gone to sleep at 10:00 pm! They still get up early so I have a couple of grouchy girls on my hands. This is created such a problem that I guess we have to go out and buy twin beds, which we don't have the money for. Do you all have any better advice? We have tried seperating them with a pillow, coming in and reminding them it is bedtime, and even sleeing with them so they couldn't get out of bed or hit each other.

Any good news?

 

[mjkacmom]

My b/g twins shared a room until they were 5, and then ds got dd9's room, and my girls roomed together. I can't even imagine the party they'd have if they shared a bed! My girls have bunkbeds, and it's still harder than if they were in their own room. My kids have to share beds on vacation, which adds about 2 hours to bedtime.

 

[Mermaid02]

So the twins are 3 and they have to share a room. All was well until we moved them out of their toddler beds and into a double bed. (It was what we had at the time) Well apparently sharing a bed is too much excitement. For the last 3 weeks they have gone to sleep at 10:00 pm! They still get up early so I have a couple of grouchy girls on my hands. This is created such a problem that I guess we have to go out and buy twin beds, which we don't have the money for. Do you all have any better advice? We have tried seperating them with a pillow, coming in and reminding them it is bedtime, and even sleeing with them so they couldn't get out of bed or hit each other.

Any good news?

First of all- I can't believe how old your kids are! Holy moly- time flies!

I think you're going to have to get the twin beds. Ask around, see if anyone has any they want to get rid of- check yard sales and the like. Good luck!

 

[golfgal]

Our twins shared a room until they were 5 or 6. It does get to be party time. Are your twins still taking a nap? If so, it might be a good idea to eliminate that and see if that helps before buying beds. If you do need to buy beds, you can start by just getting the mattress and box spring and put them on the floor to save money. It also eliminates the chance of them cleaning their room by shoving everything under their bed .

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Did you get rid of the toddler beds? Maybe you can put them back in the them until you can get twin beds for them.

 

[HM]

My sister and I were eighteen months apart and shared a room most of our lives. We always thought we'd like our own room, but when we got the opportunity and tried it, we didn't like being apart. It also helped us to prepare for college life in a dorm room.

Definitely keep your kids in the same room, but get them separate beds. Don't worry about buying the actual beds at this time, just get the mattresses and save up to buy the beds to put the mattresses on at a later time.

 

[Magpie]

My kids shared a room until they were about 9 and 7, but we sort of did things in the opposite way from you...

When my daughter was two we put her in a room by herself with a twin bed. Then my son moved in with her when he was about a year old and they shared a bed for a couple years. Maybe because my son was so young, they didn't seem to have any difficulty sleeping together. Typically, I'd read stories to them and my son would fall asleep while I was reading. Then I'd tuck my daughter in. They both sleep like rocks... Have you considered staggering your daughters' bedtimes? Does one perhaps need a little more sleep than the other?

When my daughter was five we bought a bunk bed and she slept on the top (probably not safe, but she survived). My son slept on the bottom, with the twin mattress beside him for a little while, since he had a way of rolling out of bed without noticing. I'd find him sleeping on the floor some mornings!

The kids continued to share a bedroom until we lifted up the house and built some more rooms, and then they each got a room of their own.

Good luck!

 

[jen0610]

Our one friend had the same issue with her twins. They didn't have money to buy both bed frame and mattresses. They knew they wanted bunk beds that could be either stacked or seperated.

Since they knew they were going this route, they went out and bought the mattresses that are made for bunk beds that have the support board built right into the top mattress. It was like this, but only much cheaper. I think they got both of them for right around 300.00.

http://www.simplybunkbeds.com/mattresses/twin-mattresses/twinsizeonepieceinnerspringbunkie.cfm

Just an idea if you were even thinking bunk beds.

 

[Sonya]

Our twins shared a room until they were 5 or 6. It does get to be party time. Are your twins still taking a nap? If so, it might be a good idea to eliminate that and see if that helps before buying beds. If you do need to buy beds, you can start by just getting the mattress and box spring and put them on the floor to save money. It also eliminates the chance of them cleaning their room by shoving everything under their bed .

We have eliminated the weekend nap, it makes no difference! I am worried about just doing the matress becuase They get out of bed so much and if it wasn't so easy maybe they wouldn't get out?

Did you get rid of the toddler beds? Maybe you can put them back in the them until you can get twin beds for them.

The toddler beds were broke. Their 7 year old brother got in and jumped on their beds with them one day and the thing that held the matres up was all bent on both of them. We did think about putting them back together again though.

Someone mentioned staggering their bedtimes, I do have one that needs less sleep, but I have noticed these past weeks that when one falls asleep the other one will wake them up to play.

My firstborn wasn't so active, these twins are killing me!
Keep the ideas coming! I would rather not go into more debt to get these 2 beds yet!

 

[dawson5]

someone on the budget board linked this site:

http://ana-white.com/2010/09/classic-bunk-beds-cleverly-designed.html

That is a plan to make your own bunk bed. There are other plans on there. Might be an economical option for you. Also, the beds seem to have slats, no need for a bunkie board and could probably make due with just a twin mattress.


My oldest and middle son used to share a room when oldest was 6 or so and middle son was around 2. I had no issues but oldest was in his own bed and middle one in a toddler bed. Soon after we moved him into another twin bed, still in the same room. Usually they were ready to drop when it was bed time, we never had that problem. Now my 13 and 14 yr olds share a room and have for the past few years (my brother in law moved in with us two years ago, he has my youngest son's bedroom). Still no issues, with all the sports they are involved in, they just hit the sack and usually fall asleep listening to sportscenter, cartoons or the history channel. I know this doesn't help.

Have you tried just sitting with them, reading and getting them drowsy enough to fall asleep? I used to be able to lay next to my middle son and just rub his forehead and eyebrows, humming a song and he would just drift off. Maybe doing something like this individually for them?

 

[Magpie]

We have eliminated the weekend nap, it makes no difference! I am worried about just doing the matress becuase They get out of bed so much and if it wasn't so easy maybe they wouldn't get out?



The toddler beds were broke. Their 7 year old brother got in and jumped on their beds with them one day and the thing that held the matres up was all bent on both of them. We did think about putting them back together again though.

Someone mentioned staggering their bedtimes, I do have one that needs less sleep, but I have noticed these past weeks that when one falls asleep the other one will wake them up to play.

My firstborn wasn't so active, these twins are killing me!
Keep the ideas coming! I would rather not go into more debt to get these 2 beds yet!

I would watch like a hawk for a few nights and institute severe penalties for waking up a sibling.

Once they used to the idea that this is Absolutely Not Allowed, and that no protestations of innocence or "accident" or anything else will get them out of the consequence, they should stop. They only wake each other up because it leads to Fun Times. If it leads to Bad Times, then they'll stop.

Only you know what kind of consequence will sting the most.

Just out of curiosity - what's your 7yo doing to make up for ruining his siblings beds? Mine would be losing his allowance and doing dishes for awhile.

 

[scrapquitler]

So the twins are 3 and they have to share a room. All was well until we moved them out of their toddler beds and into a double bed. (It was what we had at the time) Well apparently sharing a bed is too much excitement. For the last 3 weeks they have gone to sleep at 10:00 pm! They still get up early so I have a couple of grouchy girls on my hands. This is created such a problem that I guess we have to go out and buy twin beds, which we don't have the money for. Do you all have any better advice? We have tried seperating them with a pillow, coming in and reminding them it is bedtime, and even sleeing with them so they couldn't get out of bed or hit each other.

Any good news?

A temporary solution:
How about putting them to bed separately, at least temporarily? Put one of them in your bed and the other in their room. Once they are both asleep, move the one from your bed to her room.

Another temporary solution:
Just put the matresses from the toddler beds on the floor. My DH and I slept on a matress without a frame for years (and my 7 year old son doesn't have a frame now either, come to think of it)>

 

[mjkacmom]

Just out of curiosity - what's your 7yo doing to make up for ruining his siblings beds? Mine would be losing his allowance and doing dishes for awhile.

Really? Unless he was told not to jump on the beds, my ds7 would just get yelled at. Her ds7 was jumping with his siblings, why should he be the one to get in trouble? Now, if I had told my ds not to jump on the beds, or he maliciously broke the beds on purpose, then there would be a harsher punishment.

 

[SunshineOR]

Although my kids share rooms, they don't share beds. I have found when we go to hotels and they have to share beds, it does take them a lot longer to settle. I would advise separate bedtimes as a first solution, one on the floor and one in the bed as second solution until you can get separate beds.

We've learned with five kids that room sharing success really depends on personalities and sleeping patterns. Two kids will share nicely for a while until one becomes a night owl or early riser. Two will be getting along great until one enters a snotty stage and starts fights all the time. One of our kids is the easiest to get along with but can't share a room with anyone because she is an early riser and way too sloppy and messy. Any kid that shares with her ends up tired and frustrated! If we have to have two in a room for some reason and it's not working, we use staggered bedtimes and it's worked pretty well.

 

[XYSRUS]

My 2 older and 2 younger kids share rooms. They each have their own bed but the little ones like to sleep in the same bed. If the OPs kids are talking into the night, I would put them down earlier, and remind them it's time to sleep!

 

[sbell111]

someone on the budget board linked this site:

http://ana-white.com/2010/09/classic-bunk-beds-cleverly-designed.html

That is a plan to make your own bunk bed. There are other plans on there. Might be an economical option for you. Also, the beds seem to have slats, no need for a bunkie board and could probably make due with just a twin mattress.

I like the idea fo homemade beds. In fact, I was thinking about building this one. However, I'm not sure if I would put a three-year old in a top bunk.

 

[Magpie]

I like the idea fo homemade beds. In fact, I was thinking about building this one. However, I'm not sure if I would put a three-year old in a top bunk.

I would say definitely don't put a 3yo in a top bunk! Our daughter was 5 and she still managed to fall out once. (She was trying to touch the opposite wall, for some silly reason.)

We were lucky she landed in the toy box and came away with just some bruises.

 

[vettechick99]

I would watch like a hawk for a few nights and institute severe penalties for waking up a sibling.

Once they used to the idea that this is Absolutely Not Allowed, and that no protestations of innocence or "accident" or anything else will get them out of the consequence, they should stop. They only wake each other up because it leads to Fun Times. If it leads to Bad Times, then they'll stop.

Only you know what kind of consequence will sting the most.

.

I totally agree. Our DD3 has never gotten out of her big girl bed because she knows she will get in trouble if she does. I think it's time to lay down the law.

 

[mjkacmom]

I totally agree. Our DD3 has never gotten out of her big girl bed because she knows she will get in trouble if she does. I think it's time to lay down the law.

I've learned (the hard way) that there is a BIG difference in getting kids to stay in bed with singletons vs. twins! My 3 oldest never got out of bed, and I weaned them off of their naps at 4 1/2. My twins haven't napped since they were 2, and bedtimes were much more difficult. Even now, dd7 and dd9 might pop out of bed - it's just harder when kids share a room.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My kids have their own rooms but when I was growing up, we had to share since there was 4 girls plus Mom and Dad in a 3 bedroom house.

We all had our own twin beds though.