D ue to the social and financial conditions affecting most of the families in Rwanda, as a parent you may decide to make children share a bedroom which by the way fosters a closer relationship between your kids.
Sharing a bedroom definitely has its pros and cons as it can result in a blissful union between two siblings, but it can also be a great source of conflict.
Sharing a bedroom with a sibling can teach kids some valuable life lessons. And among others, bedroom sharing;
- Teaches kids the art of sharing, compromise and assertiveness.
- Teach kids how to respect other people’s property.
- Be very conducive to collaborative play/projects.
- Help comfort a child who may suffer from nightmares or other bedtime related fears.
However, bedroom sharing can
- Cause conflict between kids who have different temperaments and personalities.
- Some older kids might have privacy issues.
- Kids that have different sleep schedules can disrupt one another.
- Arguments may come up over closet and storage space.
If you want to make a baby share a room with a toddler
The biggest obstacle when putting a toddler and a baby in the same room is working out a coordinated sleep schedule, so that both kids are disturbed as little as possible. Try to wait until the baby is six months old before setting up the combined room, and be prepared for a bit of chaos in the beginning as you figure out the best way of using the space for maximum result:
- If your toddler and baby have a day time nap at the same time, it’s a good idea to put one child to sleep first and then the other. Trying to put them both down at the same time could mean that neither of them will sleep.
- If one child wakes earlier in the morning than the other, remove the early riser from the room as quickly as possible so the other child is not disturbed. If one is child is being continually disturbed, try to resettle that child in their bed.
- Both kids will eventually get used to sharing a room and will become much more immune to each other’s noises.
- Make sure that the room is safe and that the toddler cannot climb into the baby’s cot or pass the baby any toys that could pose a choking hazard.
The good news is that if you take the needs of both kids into consideration, and set some all important ground rules, a shared bedroom can work.
