LO sharing a room with an older kid? *Update: new pictures*

[BadMamaJAMA]

I'm feeling very accomplished today! DF and I spent the weekend switching rooms with his seven-year-old daughter, who lives with us M-F.

We figured she'd now need the bigger room because - once LO's out of the bassinet - they'll be sharing. We don't know if LO is a boy or a girl yet, but a girl would certainly make decorating easier.

What we decided to do is divide the room with a gender-neutral rug. If LO happens to be a boy, we'll use the black and white color palate with boy accent colors and boy art on the walls over the crib.

Here's where we are so far...

https://i.imgur.com/nhQh3DT.jpg

LO's crib and changing table will go where the dog crate is now, and we'll move SD7's desk and lamp to the other side of the room...

https://i.imgur.com/DjGQ3Lb.jpg

Depending on how big the baby furniture is, we'll probably push all of SD7's stuff over. For the time being, we didn't want her to feel like she was just living on one side of the room.

Anyone else putting LO in a shared room? How are you doing it?

 

[Xpecta]

Oh that is just beautiful!! I love what you've done with it! I wish my kids rooms were that cute! My older two kids will be sharing after the time when babes share a room with us. So, in like a year.

 

[steph.]

That looks lovely! We are in the middle of switching rooms too- we are going to the guest room, Sophia is taking our room and the baby is taking her nursery. When they are old enough and sleeping through they will share. At the moment the 3 rooms are in chaos!

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

Thanks, ladies! My brothers shared when I was a kid, and I was always jealous.

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

. At the moment the 3 rooms are in chaos!

This is why we went ahead and did it this weekend. SD7 is visiting DF's family before school starts, and LO is ostensibly not here. So, while we had the time and the energy, we went ahead and switched. She'll just have the big "princess" room for a while...

But we really like sleeping in her old room. It's super cozy, actually. Who knew?

 

[candyem]

Looks fab

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

P.S. Ladies, this was totally cheap.

Rug was $20 at IKEA: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70256158/

Zebra blanket was from Target.

Shelf, bed, and film strip photo holder all from Ikea.

 

[Whitesoxfan41]

Looks fantastic!! We live in an apt. and can't paint walls so I was worried we wouldn't be able to make the baby's room cute, but you've given me great ideas.

 

[AC1987]

if the next one is a girl they'll probably share a room once the baby is past night waking and crying, so a year or so

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

Looks fantastic!! We live in an apt. and can't paint walls so I was worried we wouldn't be able to make the baby's room cute, but you've given me great ideas.

Thanks so much! We actually found those white painted flower canvasses in the "freecycle" area of our apartment building... but I definitely want to paint some more!

If LO is a girl, we might just stick to flowers.. or maybe butterflies or dragonflies. If it's a boy, we'll paint some vines with monkeys.

Thanks, random person whose kid outgrew those!

 

[Xpecta]

Because of this thread I went and bought my son new sheets and a blanket for his bed today

 

[Zuki]

We're starting to come to the conclusion that DS and SS are going to have to share at some point, but because there will be twelve years difference between them it's not something we'll be doing for a year or so maybe, at which point SS will be just turning teenager... Oh what fun!

I do think splitting the room down the middle is a good idea, so everyone has a bit of their own space. And I love the rug you've got!

Have you broached the subject with SD yet?

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

Well, I don't think SD will be too disappointed.. after all, she shares a bedroom with her mom (and her boyfriend) when she's at their house!! We live in a two-bedroom apartment, and she's a smart kid. Hopefully she'll see this coming.

She comes home this weekend, and our plan is to tell her to put her stuff in her room (doors closed). and then she'll go to her room and see our furniture in there... and then she'll see that she has a big room. We got her a lot of new stuff this weekend (the rug, the shelf, the photo frame), so hopefully she'll be happy. Plus she actually has closet space now, which she didn't before.

So, we'll explain to her that the baby will be going where the dog crate is later... and really, just the baby's bed for the next year, because baby will be sleeping with us at first.

She's really excited about the baby (she tells EVERYONE!) so we're not anticipating a problem. Those will likely crop up after the baby is born and she's no longer the only child, as I predict it.

P.S. There are entire pages on Pinterest about shared spaces... putting a shelf or a curtain right down the middle might be a good solution for you, zuki. Ex) https://moms.popsugar.com/27-Inspiring-Shared-Kids-Bedrooms-27334747

 

[Zuki]

Yeah ok I doubt she'll have a problem then! lol!!!

Thanks for that link, some really interesting ideas! Have to admit I'd rather not have them share, but needs must and all that!

 

[AC1987]

Forgot to add, I shared a room with my younger sister, we loved it growing up, it wasn't til we were preteens that we protested and got our own rooms But it sounds like she is looking forward to it!

 

[overcomer79]

If this baby is a girl, she will share a room with dd when she sttn. If baby is a boy, he will share with ds. We have crazy laws that opposite gender children can't share the same room if they are past 2 years old. I know it typically isn't a problem but if someone gets angry and calls dss on you then....

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

IWe have crazy laws that opposite gender children can't share the same room if they are past 2 years old.

Really? Where do you live?

 

[GroomerMama]

Super cute room!!

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

Hi, ladies!

I just wanted to give you an update now that we have a confirmed girl, and we've started to decorate her side of the room...

Baby's side:

https://i.imgur.com/JajhLrM.jpg

Big girl's side:

https://i.imgur.com/Lhpf02W.jpg

We're clearly not done with baby's side, but you get the idea. We're going to put up a corner shelf for her baby monitor and a lamp, and then have a picture up on the other side of the bookcase.

Considering putting little knick-knack shelves up on either side of her initials... The crib is actually pulled away from the wall so that stuff wouldn't fall on her, but it would probably be little stuffed animals, in case it did.

 

[Starry Night]

My dumb computer won't let me see the photos but I'm sure the arrangement is lovely. I spent nearly my entire childhood/youth sharing a room. I actually really hated it because my sister and I could not get along but looking back I can see it wasn't really THAT bad. ha ha You've got to do what works with the home you have.

And I can't believe there is somewhere that doesn't allow opposite gender siblings share a room. What are families who can't afford bigger appartments supposed to do?? I highly doubt any incestuous relationships would form. And siblings could always learn to wait outside while the other changes. It doesn't sound like it would be that hard of an arrangement.