Making Enough Room for Everyone

I'm sorry I don't have tips on making more rooms, but I have to say that I think the girls sharing a room is a great idea. I worked in student services at a university before I stayed home with my son, and freshmen at universities and colleges everywhere are having an awful time adjusting to dorm life because they've NEVER had to share a room. I think it's a great learning experience for the girls, it will make them closer, and they'll be able to comfort each other if they have bad dreams, etc.

Well this is what we just did, our boys were together in a small room they had to be separated so for a quick fix we made a temporary room in our unfinished basement. In one corner we got canvas paint tarps and stapled them up it is like a giant tent of course a rug on the floor and his bed and a shelving unit. You could also get those floor tiles that are bright colors and hook together like puzzle pieces. Or you could use bookshelves as walls and storage. Does the house your in have a dinning room that you really don't use to often we use ours as a computer room maybe that could be a bedroom. another idea is if your room is the biggest maybe that could be split into sections and shared and you could go into a smaller room if you are like us all you do in your room is sleep and ??.
And for a time being the 6 and 3 year old could share they are still small enough and still at the toys stage. You may have to try it a couple ways before you find what works best.
another thing we did in the past was beds were in one room and
all the toys and stuff were in another room the kids actually slept better with all the clutter in a different room. and
nobody minded sharing a bedroom for a while. Whatever you decide make sure you let the kids help they will have fun planning and setting it up.

Jenn I understand your situation we bought a 2 bedroom house and we have 4 kids.Our 2 boys share a room and the 2 girls are in the basement we are making bedrooms down there for them. Our girls have quite a bit of an age differnce and they are doing alright with sharing space.Are you moving when your year lease is up?Maybe you could partition a section of the basement off for your son atleast til you move.Maybe put a blanket or something like that up so you don'thave to spend money on sheetrock. I don't know if this will help you or not. Good Luck and congrats on the baby
J.

I totally understand because we have four children. First of all...calm down it will all work out. Second...you seem to be thinking that the option of kids sharing a room won't work, but it can work. My kids have shared rooms and I shared a room with my sister growing up....it isn't the most wonderful option in the world and kids always want their own room...but in your case it is temporary. The baby is due in July and will probably be up a lot at night at first and will want to sleep close to you....so you can have the baby in your room in a bassinet until September or so. Your older daughters can share a room to sleep in but maybe keep one of the girls toys in the room downstairs as a playroom. Also, what about having your 3 year old daughter and 6 year old son share a room...they are young enough that age shouldn't make a difference as long as they dress and undress seperate. I am not a fan personally of having kids sleep in the basement because of fear of fires and them getting out safely...but if you are okay then okay. Also, by the time the baby is sleeping more through the night the youngest daughter will be 4. I had a four year old and a baby in the same room....I just had a baby monitor on and didn't put the baby in there at naptime (put the baby in my room in a playpen). Best of luck. Congratulations! Don't worry too much about it. I wouldn't add a room in the basement if I was you. You would be increasing the property value for the owner and having to pay for the supplies. Take it easy! C.

Have you tried ACORN housing. We used them when we bought our house. We used Bank of Americ for our mortgage and they told us about this program. I am sure your credit is not as bad as ours and I stay at home and only had my husbands salary. Also the person I used at Bank of America specializes in Bad credit. What I really liked was the fact that we didn't have to mess around with a subprime loan or mortgage company. The ACORN is a non for profit group that gives you homebuying information and you are able to do a 100% loan and a FIXED rate that was 6.25 which is pretty good. Let me know if you want any more information. We were in your sma situation and I would love to help because I know what it feels like!
H.

I think putting the girls in the room together might be good for them. Sure a 3 year old might get on the older ones nerves now and then, but that's what sisters are for! I shared a room with my older sister, (8 years difference.) You could get bunk beds, the older one on top. Then after a year if you move, bunk beds will still be convenient for the older ones sleepovers. Or maybe a daybed with a trundle bed underneath.

I also shared a room with my sister until I was 11 or so (she is 5 yrs younger than me). When I was 11, my mom had my youngest sister and I was like a second mother to her. I loved helping with the baby-- what about having your 9yo share a room with the baby? She's less likely to be disturbed by crying in the middle of the night (even if she wakes up, she'll get back to sleep easily by herself). It's likely that her bedtime will be later than the baby's, so you could put the baby to sleep and then your 9yo could go (quietly) to bed. She may enjoy helping to take care of the baby during the day and if you promote it as a privilege-- her presence in the room will help comfort the baby-- she may actually be excited about sharing a room with the baby. And even if she wasn't thrilled about it you can point out that it will just be temporary. You just have to market it in a way that she'll be excited about it (though don't ASK her if it's ok-- just tell her she "gets" to share a room). Maybe she can help pick out something for their shared room (crib sheet or artwork, etc.) to make it special. Let us know how it goes!

I think any of those ideas would work. I was 5.5 years younger than my sister and we shared a room (when I was younger I shared a room with my sister who was 8 years older). Also, my one year old is still in our room, more for convenience and because we like it than for necessary (we have four bedrooms and 2 kids, but when the time comes my two daughters will share a room). I think it really helped in my family to get to know each other better. Also, if you want your baby to sleep in your room for say 3 or 6 months and then move into either one of your daughter's or your son's rooms, I'm sure they'll suprise you how big they become between now and then.

That being said, if you have the money, building a room is another workable solution.

K..

It seems that I agree with most that sharing should maybe be at least an option. Because the bedrooms are small consider making the bedrooms for sleeping and get the basement fixed up for playing and hanging out. Putting a carpet remnent on the floor, hanging some sort of temporary wall covering (sheets??), and putting some bean bags or pillows will warm up an unfinished basement and give the kids a recreational area. You have little invested (time and money) and it can all go with you to a new house.

We have a similar set up for our son and it is great because we can leave a mess if we want, I don't worry about items getting broken, but it is comfortable enough that he wants to play down there regularly. He even sleeps down there sometimes!

Good luck. I hope you find something that works out for you and your family.

I think expecting a room for each child is a little unrealistic and an injustice for your children. My two boys share a room and will no matter how many bedrooms we have. It makes your children closer for one thing. My oldest son was almost 3 when his brother was born and they have shared a room since we moved the baby out of our room at 3 months. There were never any issues with my son climbing in his crib or anything like that. As for waking him up, the baby slept much better and didn't wake up to every sound because he got used to the noise. We have 4 bedrooms as well with one baby on the way and still my sons will share a room.

My neice is almost 11 and her sister will be 4 the day before she turns 11. It is not posing a problem for them and never has. They have shared a room from the start too, even sharing with their 6 year old sister as well. My sister only has 3 bedrooms and 3 girls and a boy. He is the oldest and I wouldn't dare let a 13 year old boy share with a girl so this is their only option. It works for them. Whether your 9 year old shares with the 3 year old or the 3 year old with the baby, I see both as a good option. I think people have so much these days that they are forgetting that 20 years ago 4 siblings would share a room and turned out just fine, actually better. I think if you give them all their own bedroom you aren't doing them any favors. But that is just my opinion. I shared with my sister growing up we were 15 months apart, but when my younger sister (by 9 years) was about 5 we shared a room. Sometimes she was annoying and got on my nerves but we are very close to this day. I don't think that would be the case if we hadn't shared a room.

I am six years older than my sister and we shared a room for a few years. I had to get dressed to the closet light, but it worked out fine. Your 9 and 3 year olds could room together.

My daughters are four years apart, about the distance between your youngest and coming baby. They did not share a room for the first few months but have been sharing for quite a while now and are inseparable. After a few months the 3 year old and baby could room.

If you still feel that you would like separate rooms for each child, talk with your landlord. If the improvement is made to his house, perhaps he'd be willing to pay for it. Or give you a discount on rent because he will profit from the improvement.

Good luck.

I also agree...it is NOT necessary for all to have thier own rooms. My ODD was 2 when YDD was born...and they have shared since. They are 17 and 15 now. It is also a very small room...you just get creative. DS has his own room but it's the size of a large closet. At one point we had all 3 in one room and used the other as a play area...until they where getting to big for toddler beds. If you can't afford a big house...you make the small one work.
We on the other hand are to a point we can afford a bigger house now...but when the kids where little we couldn't and well I'd rather not live paycheck to paycheck and stressed over finances - or even not be able to afford the accidental things like car repairs or broken windows....then live in a house beyond my means. Hey, I worked with a gal that was one of 9 and they lived in a 3 bedroom ranch....and she has great memeories of her youth.
Barb