We have two boys that are 15 months and 3.5 years. We're hoping to move our youngest in to share a bedroom with our oldest. We don't have a deadline to have it done, just want to change the nursery into a play room. Any advice on the transition?
I probably did not give enough information in my original post. Our nursery was originally a laundry room 6 x 6 with a small closet big enough for a crib and changing table and that's it. My older son's bedroom is 10 x 12, plenty of room for two kids. We will be moving my younger son into the room, but we're planning on waiting until he is about two and will hopefully be done with the restless nights from teething. Thanks for all the advice for the transition and making sharing a room work. Being that the nursery is so small, it will become more of a toy 'closet' not playroom.
I say let them have their own space too! It is a huge gap in age, and I know my 3.5 year old really needs his own space, and his place to go when he needs to be by himself. He's able to play in his room, it's something that is all his, and something he takes pride in.
If they each have their own room, then it gives them some place to take the other, or to be away from the other.
My youngest started sharing a room with his brother when they were 6 months and 4yo, so we didn't really have to worry about that transition too much. When my youngest was moved in to a toddler bed at 3 years, he felt more comfortable having his brother sleep with him for the first couple nights and by then they were so close that my oldest did so willingly. They are now 8 and [a hair shy of] 4 and on occasion I still find them in bed together in the morning because one had a nightmare or something. There have never been any issues with different schedules since we immediately placed them on the same schedule. Only difference is that my youngest takes his nap while his brother is at school.
I'd suggest letting your 3.5yo pick out something special for himself and his brother... maybe matching bedding, new wall decorations, etc. Keep it fun and they will have fun!
Hi S., my boys (21 months apart) shared a room, with bunkbeds.
The main challenge was their very different sleeping habits. So to combat that, I made sure the younger was in a deep sleep before putting the older (who doesn't sleep well, then or now) to bed. I also had a little fan pointed at the wall for some white noise. I think they were 3 and 4 when I moved them in together.
Still there WAS a transition period, maybe a couple of weeks where they fooled around half the
night before falling to sleep, but then they settled in nicely.
:)
Hi S.---The only thing I recommend is to expect only positive things. Our boys shared a room...no choice. They were a bit over 4 years apart. It was great as Thomas always read at night to Ian, once he know how to read. Ian benefitted greatly. He was reading on his own before he started kindegarten.
Again, I really think that kids can feel your fears or expectations. Be sure that in your own mind, and how you approach it with the boys, that you expect nothing less than success. Good luck, be well. D.
Its certainly possible. I did this when mine were 3 years and 4 months old. They had staggered bed times, so it was not an issue. During the summer my 3.5 year old began having a lot of behavior issues and started attacking the baby in the crib if she cried, so we moved baby out and waited until we had the older one back on track before moving her back in, at about 12 months old. Again they had the staggered bed times, so it wasn't an issue. A few months ago we began putting them both to bed at the same time, and its been fine, with a few exceptions when they were playing off each other's giggles or cries.
Make sure there is plenty of room between the beds. Make sure the room is really DARK and you have some white noise (like a box fan) to drown out the noises from the house and each other. Start with staggered bedtimes, so they don't keep each other up and get used to sharing a room.
Best wishes!
It is different for everyone, but my two about the same distance in age as yours currently share a room and its great for the following reasons.
1. The younger one follows the older one to go to bed, meaning they fall asleep the same time
2. They build a bond and closeness
3. I get to do the bedtime routine with both of them instead of going to another room
4. Everything is in the same place when i need to get them dressed
5. They have and play with the same toys, so only one room to clean up
6. The older one sorts of protect the younger one
When they get older, are aware and in need of their own space, I will consider them splitting, but for now, it works fine.
probably the best thing to do is wait until the youngest is out of diapers and potty trained, that way the older child wont be tempted to backslide back into diapers.
K. h.
and the big question, do the two of them get along ? because, if they dont, sharing a bedroom could get ugly, little boys are mean, while little girls are sneaky.
Let your boys have their own room and their own play space. Should you decide to have another child...different story, but at least your boys will be older and hopefully have similar schedules. Is the play space for children or adults?
Blessings...
I shared a room with one of my siblings when I was a child.
It was AWFUL.
She was SO overbearing and manipulative.
Your kids, have quite an age spread between them.
Consider IF they will BOTH still, get a good sleep... uninterrupted.
And the eldest child, should not or cannot be held 'responsible' if the baby is woken up.
An eldest child, can't 'parent' the youngest child... all the time
