Ask a group of people what they think about the idea of siblings sharing a bedroom, and you’ll get all kinds of answers; some will think it’s a great idea, some will tell you not to do it. Others will suggest it’s fine for siblings of the same sex or the same age (or close in age) to share, but otherwise no. Children’s furniture specialist Little Lucy Willow said "Each child is different from the next, when it comes to what they like, how they play and what they want from a bedroom."
It can be confusing. If you’re wondering whether it’s a good idea for your children to share a room, we’ve put together a great list of pros and cons that should be useful for you. Once you’ve read them and thought about them, you should be able to make up your own mind about what is going to work best for you and your family.
Pros
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Siblings who share a room will have more time to spend together, and that means that their bond should be all the greater. They can more easily develop an emotional closeness that means when they are older and no longer share a room, or even a house, they will still want to be friends and will share many life experiences together.
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Psych Central recently stated that "It can be comforting to share a room with someone, and if that person is your brother or sister, it’s even better." Parents of children who have their own rooms may find that they often have one or the other (or both – or all) of their children in bed with them from time to time; it could even be a regular issue. Children do this because they need comfort and reassurance. If they are sharing a room with a sibling, then it is to that sibling’s bed that they are more likely to go to, rather than the parent's.
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Children who share a bedroom will also share other things; it’s a handy life lesson that will teach them about sharing and why it’s a good thing to do. They’ll learn to compromise and be patient, waiting their turn for a toy or book they want to play with or read. If they can take these skills into the classroom and beyond, they will have a good start in life.
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There will be far less arguing between the children if they are sharing the same space. Who wants to row with someone and then have to spend hours at a time near them? Children who share a bedroom are much more likely to workout their issues rather than leave them to fester.
Cons
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Depending on the ages of your children, they may be on entirely different sleep schedules. Toddlers and younger children tend to need a nap in the afternoon, and if that’s the case then an older child may not be able to play in his own room. Plus, if a teenager wants to watch TV in bed, this can be disruptive to a younger child.
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If neither of the children "own’" the room because they are both using it, then there may be a reluctance for any tidying to happen. After all, surely it’s the other child’s job. This is the argument that could go on and on in a shared room with no one taking any responsibility for keeping things clean and neat.
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There will be no privacy in a shared bedroom, and whilst this is not really going to be a problem for younger children, as they grow up it will become more and more of an issue. Teenagers or siblings of the opposite sex will certainly prefer to have a space to call their own where they can have some privacy when they want and need it.
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When friends are invited over things can become difficult in a shared bedroom. Your children may have entirely different friends, and this can be an issue, especially if everyone wants to use the room at the same time. There could easily be arguments and resentment if the room is monopolized by one group or another.
As you can see, there is a lot to think about. You will need to take your children’s ages, their likes and dislikes, their sleeping schedules, and more into account before choosing whether they should share a room. Even if you do choose this route initially, as they grow older the setup may need to change.
