Collaborative post
So there’s a mixed bag when it comes to children and sharing bedrooms. Sure, it’s fun to design the room, but that’s usually one of the only good parts of it. On the one hand, it can help with sibling bonding. They can chitchat while lying in bed, and they have the privacy to get to know each other better. But at the same time, this can also be a bad thing. Have you ever shared a bedroom before?
There are usually fights, someone “borrowing” something from the other, territorial issues, and so on. Overall, there’s just a lot of fighting, and siblings can not get along either. It’s just not ideal whatsoever, and it’s just going to make everyone in the household more stressed out. So, what can you do? Well, there is a balancing act, almost like the art of getting your kids to share a room and get along. But where do you even begin? Well, here’s exactly what you need to know!
How to Create Harmony in a Shared Space
So, your kids are sharing a room, and are you hoping for peaceful coexistence? While yes, like what was mentioned above, sharing a bedroom can be a fantastic opportunity for siblings to bond, it can also come with its fair share of challenges. Now, there’s no fool-proof guaranteed way to fix any of this, but it’s all about giving a lot of love and fostering harmony. So here are some things you can look into.
Set Boundaries
First things first, establish clear boundaries. Talk to your kids about respecting each other’s space and belongings. This might mean designating specific areas or items that are off-limits without permission. But also, be sure to have clear rules to help prevent conflicts and teach your children about respect and sharing.
Create Personal Spaces
Even in a shared room, it’s important for each child to have their own personal space. This could be a bed with a canopy, a specific corner of the room, or even just their own set of shelves. But having a personal retreat can help each child feel secure and respected, reducing the likelihood of territorial disputes. Yes, they’re sharing, but they both still need a little area to call their own.
Encourage Teamwork
So this may or may not work, it just really depends. But you can try to turn room-sharing into a team project! Get your kids involved in decorating and organizing the room together. Ideally, you’ll want to encourage them to make joint decisions about the room’s layout, colors, and decor. This not only makes them feel invested in their shared space but also teaches them the importance of cooperation and compromise.
Schedule Alone Time
Just like adults, kids need some alone time, too. So it’s going to be a really good idea to just schedule periods where each child gets the room to themselves. This could be during homework time when one child is at an extracurricular activity or simply by creating a quiet time where each child does their own thing. Besides, just like adults, alone time can help reduce tension and give them a chance to recharge.
Rotate Responsibilities
So, you really need to remember fairness, keep things fair, prevent any feelings of inequality, and rotate responsibilities related to the shared space. This could include tidying up, changing bed linens, or even choosing the night’s bedtime story. So, just by sharing responsibilities, both kids learn to appreciate the work that goes into maintaining their room.
Keep On Promoting Positive Interactions
It’s going to feel like an uphill battle, but regardless, you’re still going to have to do this! So, with that said, you need to be sure to encourage positive interactions and praise good behavior. When you see your kids sharing nicely, playing together, or solving a conflict on their own, acknowledge it. Generally speaking, positive reinforcement goes a long way in encouraging them to continue these good behaviors.
Get Them to Respect the Differences
This is something that parents especially need to understand. So, you have to acknowledge and respect each child’s differences. Even if they’re twins, they’re still entirely different people. They may have different interests, routines, and ways of doing things. So it’s super important to just celebrate these differences and find ways to accommodate them. For example, if one child is a night owl and the other an early bird, work out a schedule that respects both of their sleep needs.
How Can You Make this Shared Space Awesome for Both of Them?
Overall, it’s really important to figure out how to create a space that both of them will love. But yes, by all means, it’s something that can actually be fairly tricky to even balance out. Especially if they have different tastes and needs. So yes, a little bit of work goes into this, and even a little bit of creativity, too. But overall, some smart planning and ideas will help you make it work beautifully.
Embrace Individuality with Color
So, you’ll want to go ahead and start with a neutral base for the walls and larger furniture pieces, but let each child express their personality through color. You can assign each sibling a specific color for their side of the room. This could be through bedding, wall art, or even a fun accent wall. This way, both kids get to have their unique tastes reflected in their shared space. While yes it’s fairly simple, it’s usually the best way to go. It’s like a blank canvas, and they get to take control on their side.
Bunk Beds are Incredible
Classic? You better believe it! Honestly, no parent can go wrong with this, especially if the kids are pretty young. So, with that said, bunk beds are a classic choice for shared rooms, and for good reason! They save space and can be a lot of fun. If your kids are old enough, consider investing in a sturdy bunk bed. You can find ones with built-in storage or even a desk underneath, maximizing every inch of the room.
Separate But Equal Zones
So, it was mentioned earlier that each kid needs to have their own area that’s solely theirs. So, this is piggybacking on that. So, you both will want to create distinct areas for each child within the room. This might mean setting up individual study spaces, play areas, or even just separate shelves for their toys and books. Use rugs, curtains, or furniture placement to define these zones. This way, each child feels they have their own special spot within the shared space.
Mix and Match Styles
Again, your kids are entirely two different people, so even if they’re raised the same, their views and interests just might be total opposites if your kids have very different tastes, mix and match elements that reflect both of their styles. But of course, one side can be of one interest, and the other side can be of the other child’s interest.
Maybe one loves dinosaurs, and the other is into princesses. Find a way to incorporate both themes in a balanced way, for example, having plushie toys scattered throughout the princesses and dinosaurs. Overall, kids just really love plushies- but this is merely just one example. It’s all about compromise and finding creative ways to blend their preferences. Sometimes, having them both sit down and make some choices could honestly help, too.
You Have to Let Them Get Involved
By all means, you absolutely have to let your kids be part of the decorating process! Take them shopping for decor items, let them choose their bedding, or even give them a wall to decorate with their art or posters. Besides, involving them in the process helps them feel invested in their shared space and can make the transition smoother.
Encourage Cooperation
While having separate zones is important, a shared play area can be a great way to encourage sibling bonding. Set up a central area with a play rug, a small table, or even a cozy reading nook where they can spend time together. But why? Well, this not only maximizes space but also promotes teamwork and cooperation. But of course, this depends on their age, because this might not even be necessary.
It’s All About the Long Term
As with any room, think about how the space can evolve as your kids grow. You have to understand what your kids like this year might not be what they like next year. But that’s totally okay because kids are constantly developing and growing- therefore, their preferences are too.
So it’s going to be in your best interest to go ahead and choose versatile furniture that can adapt to their changing needs and keep the base of the room neutral so it can be easily updated with new decor as their tastes change. This ensures the room can grow with them and remain functional and stylish for years to come. So it’s best to not spend too much time and money decorating because of the constant changes.