When I found out I was expecting my third child I knew we would quite literally have to “make room for baby,” meaning my two daughters would have to share a room.
We live in a three bedroom home and at the time our girls, ages 5 and 2, each had their own room. My 5-year-old loved her afternoon quiet time playing in her room with her beloved Barbie house. It was her space and housed all of her special toys that she didn’t want her little sister to get into.
We honestly had no plans to move to a bigger house but I also had some reservations about making the girls share a room. I grew up with my own room and always enjoyed having my own space. I worried about my oldest daughter feeling like she had nowhere to go to play on her own and that Barbie house, well it would have to move to the basement playroom to make room for a second bed.
Despite a few reservations, we went for it just about three months prior to their baby brother’s arrival.
Today as I write this, six months later, I wouldn’t change a thing and even as they get older I don’t have that tugging that they need their own rooms. They were sweet sisters before and loved each other tremendously, but now they really are best friends. Sharing a room has really developed and strengthened their bond with each other. They actually want to go to bed and rarely fight us on it. They play and giggle and read books together. They have talked to our neighbors through their window, inviting them to their lemonade stand the next day. We have found them asleep, snuggled up on the floor next to each other. We even caught them making a slide out of a mattress (instigated by the 2-year-old) and though, that wasn’t my favorite discovery, they are bonding and making unforgettable childhood memories. I can hear it now, ”Remember that time we used to use the mattress as a slide when we were supposed to be going to bed?”
Maybe they won’t always share a room but right now, it’s the best thing for our family. I pray this sweet time builds the foundation for a lifelong friendship and fond memories to look back on. They may stay up way too late every once in a while, but I wouldn’t trade those late night giggles for anything.
Do any of your kids share a room? Has it made their bond stronger?
