[MickeyBoo]

I think it depends on the childs individual personality and personal needs. My other kids are all fine sharing and enjoy it, but eldest DS has anxiety issues and likes his own space in his own way, so he gets worked up if someone has moved his stuff around. He shares with his younger brother but his younger brother only uses the room to sleep in and isn't getting into anything else, so there's no problems, but as they get older and he has to 'split' his space more and there's the risk of his things being disturbed, then there would be problems for him.

All of my kids get on fine, share and play together in the main areas of the house with no major issues, and enjoy each others company, but DS in particular needs his own private space and even the thought of someone having something in 'his space' gets his anxiety rising, it's not something he can control.

My sister and I when growing up were also at odds with sharing, she was 6 years older than me and we are completely different personalities, we fought like cats and dogs and sharing really damaged our relationship in the long run, it wasn't until we were both 'grown up' out of home, and having our first children that we started finding common ground again. So while I have no issue with kids sharing, even into their teens, I do think that if someone asks for a space of their own then it should be able to be available to them. There are a hundred other uses for bedrooms in houses if they don't end up getting used as sleeping areas too, sewing rooms, study rooms, hobby rooms, music rooms, media rooms etc etc etc

This post has been edited by MickeyBoo: 05/04/2012, 09:09 AM

[mokeydoke]

We would get more out of more space and a pool than bedrooms, which are only used for sleeping.

Plus if it's your forever home, do you really want all those extra bedrooms for the rest of your life?!

Here my boys share, and my girls have their own rooms. DD1 needs her space, and I can't imagine her sharing very well tbh.

Growing up in a 5 bedroom house with 7 kids, we rotated having our own room. Every 6 months (or so) we moved and had our own room for 6 months Luckily I was the second youngest so didn't have to do that too often before other kids started leaving home and I got my own room for good

[SlowEmotionRepla...]

OK for brothers and sisters to share a room up to about 12. As they head into puberty they probably need a little more privacy - so I would do boys in one room, girls in the other (but up till then I would room them by age). Nothing wrong with same sex siblings sharing a room till they leave home.

[Lil Chickens]

FIL shared a 6m x 2m room with his 4 brothers until they each started moving out as they got married, his two sisters shared another room and his parents always kept a "guest room". They have always been the best of friends and a very close knit family.

My FIL then lived in the same house with his wife and DH and his two brothers shared a room until they moved out while his older sister had a room to herself. My DH and his brothers all get along really well to this day.

DH moved out when we met and moved into the other house on the farm (he was 31) and now that we are maried and ILs have retired we live in the main house. We are having 2 kids only so they will not need to share - they would share if we had more kids though.

My younger sister and I shared until I was 16 and she was 15 and while we had fights like any sisters they were the same fights we each had with our older sister who had her own room.

I think it's fine to share if the house with less rooms suits your needs best. Also as another PP said do you really want all those rooms when the kids leave?

[KristyMum-]

My first choice would be no pool.
then what the running costs/design/eco/solar etc are of the house

bedrooms would come somewhere after that.

good luck!

[Nofliesonme]

We are about to have this issue. Each child gas there own room, my new bub baking will mean someone has to share. Well my kids all want to sleep together anyway so I think it will be fine.

[sophiasmum]

Kids having their own rooms is v.important to me, so the 1st house would be a deal breaker for me despite the other positives. So unless you plan to add room/s then I wouldn't take it. As for the 2nd house, you can always add a pool if that is what you want.

[poodle may]

Thank you for all your replies. It's given me a lot to think about. Especially from those who have older children/ teenagers.

Our thoughts are that we would really like to have the option of the children having their own rooms from late primary/early high school.

Because there will be nearly 8 years from eldest to youngest we should be able to manage that as DD1 will be moving out before DD3 and 4 reach those ages.

As for the pool, we understand it is a risk with having such young children, but feel that with proper fencing, supervision and care it is something our family would greatly benefit from. We already have a spa and the children love using it.

We have since found another house which ticks both boxes. Has a pool, but also enough bedrooms. Will go and have a look at it and see what happens.

Thanks again for your advice. Much appreciated.