How to arrange our beds and bedrooms please

[alysonpeaches]

We have a traditional 1930s 3 bed semi. DH and I have the front master bedroom, our 5 year old boy has the back double bedroom and sleeps in a 4 foot bed (3/4 bed or small double) which mum gave us. Our 2 year old girl sleeps in the box room in a single bed.

I wont bore you with all the facts about why we have two more kids joining us, but a one year old girl will be with us in about a months time and in October her sibling is due which we may or may not get custody of. So 2 will become 4.

The boy 5y, is the best sleeper but goes to bed later than the girl age 2 who gets up every night. We tried them together but they just wouldnt settle down: the prob was mainly the 2yo girl; she couldnt settle in his room even though she had her own bed.

The new one year old is a good sleeper.

Where do I put her? 2 girls together? That would mean move the boy out. Dont know the gender of baby 4 expected October yet, as s/he may not come to us.

What do you suggest?

[cafebistro]

It sounds like the best solution would be to put the new 1yo girl with the 5yo boy. if they're both good sleepers then there may not be a problem. Id think about where the baby will sleep nearer the time- in with you at first probably anyway.

[lucyhoneybee]

It depends how mature the 5 yr old boy is. A 1 yr old is really young to be put with another child. I have 4 children and the 2 yr old has been with the 5 and 12 yr old while we decorate- the 2 little ones keep eack other awake altrhough both good sleepers normally. the baby is in with us as her brother tries to pick her up by her head! I would put new arrival in your room temporarily until you know if you'll be 4 and till she's used to new home, also this avoids resentment if yr current children have to move rooms.but really, anything goes that suits you even if it's all in together. Good luck!

[juuule]

2yo as she is now, in her own room.

5yo and 1yo in together. Put 1yo to bed first and put 5yo up after 1yo asleep. Ask him help you and be quiet so as not to wake 1yo.

New baby in with you.

[alysonpeaches]

Thanks all of you. I will be following juule's/bistro's suggestion. The room is quite large and it will be possible to have a cot at the opposite corner to the bed. We have decided to let the little boy have his story downstairs and a cosy chat and cuddle (which he normally has in bed) downstairs too. Then take him up to bed and at first stay with him a while. We are presently practising using quiet voices and whispers at bedtime.

[reban]

We had to juggle bedrooms like this. My dd who is now 8 had had to share a room with ds1 who is now 3 for the past 18 months so ds2 who is now 2 could go into his own room out of our bedroom. Now they are a bit older we are changing the bedroom around so that my oldest can have a room to herself (even thugh its smaller) and the two boys are now big enough to share. This also has the advantage that my daughter doesnt care she is going to have smaller room she is just delighted to be getting some privacy!
We also have the complication of havign another addition as i am expecting dc4 in dec. We have just decided that he or she will be sleeping with us for at least the first six months and if we are not in the position to be able to move to a bigger house by then we will have to either keep baby with us or move into share with his/her two brothers as its then only room that will fit!