For many families, giving everyone their own room is not really an option. If you’ve got siblings sharing a bedroom, there are ways to make it fun and give each child a sense of ownership within this shared space. Read on for three key ideas on how to arrange a shared bedroom.
High Sleeper Beds
Unless the room is absolutely tiny (in which case you will have to resort to a bunkbed), get each child a high sleeper bed (also referred to as a loft bed). These beds are raised and accessed via a ladder (just like the upper bunk of a bunkbed), but underneath the bed, there is clear space. Use this space for clothes storage, so that each child knows where their clothing is kept, or for a reading corner or desk space. Let each kid decorate this space in their own way, so that it feels like theirs.
Divide the Space
Whether you opt to physically divide the space using curtains or screens, or symbolically mark it with different paint colors, creating some sort of division will again help each child to feel that they have some ownership over part of the room. The curtains or screens don’t have to be pulled across all the time (this could feel oppressive), but it is important that each child has the option, if they wish to use it.
Create a Shared Zone
You don’t want each kid to be skirting around the other’s space, feeling like they can’t set foot in a part of the room which isn’t theirs. Talk to your kids, decide on a few shared interests, and then create a space in the room that references these. Whether it’s a soccer table for sports fans, a bookshelf for bookworms, or a science corner for those budding Einsteins, creating this space will encourage your kids to have fun together in their room, and consider sharing to be a positive, rather than a minus.