The Great Switcheroo?

I've been debating for a few weeks now whether or not to switch bedrooms with my children. Should life continue on the same path, it will be inevitable that they'll have to move to the master bedroom for the simple fact that they are growing. So, should I just delay matters, or get right to the point?

We live in a small 1950's cottage that only has 2 bedrooms. The master bedroom is 11x13 feet and the children's bedroom is a tiny 7x9 feet. Can you imagine that I'm squeezing 3 young children into that space? Before I start getting all sorts of nasty comments, let me assure you that they are comfortable and actually love being together like that. But, they are getting older. They are growing up.

My daughter doesn't really have a corner to call her own, other than her bed. I feel badly, especially since she does like to go off on her own and play and imagine. Having two brothers on either side of her in a small house, she's often overrun with trucks, tractors, noise, and construction zones.

That's another thing. If I gave them the larger room, I could possibly eliminate the toy zone in the living room. Granted, they do have a play area in the basement, but it is small and there's not really a lot of room for 3 children to spread out and play all at once.

Here's the clincher, though. In a 7x9 foot room, there's really only room for my husband and I's bed. Thankfully, it does have a walk-in closet. But, it would be a real challenge to fit all that two adults have into a room smaller than many people's closets!

Ideally, we need to move. We've outgrown this house. I try to be creative, thinking about decades past when families were larger and lived in smaller houses, but this is the 21st century. There are new standards, such as pubescent children not sharing rooms with their siblings of the opposite gender. Granted, my oldest is only 5, but the time will come.

The next ideal idea on the list is to add a loft bedroom in the attic.

In confusion and indecision, the best thing to do is pray and let the Lord lead.


Comments

Anonymous said…
Back in the early 1950s, my in-laws were homesteaders in Fairbanks, Alaska, then they moved to a bungalow in Schoharie. In both places they had a cottage about the size of yours. In Alaska they had four boys and one girl and in Schoharie they added another boy. The boys were in bunk beds in one room, the baby in the parents room, and one corner of the living area was turned into the bedroom/play area for the daughter. The father ended up being transferred to several other cities and they ended up in Syracuse in a huge old double that they converted to a single. They also ended up with seven boys and two girls. Times were different then. Sharing rooms and making do was expected. I think the economy is forcing us to return to that way of thinking. Hang in there. When the time is right, you'll get what you need.
Mrs. V. said…
I have two teenagers and we live in a house very much like yours. It's a small cottage built in 1940. We do have 3 bedrooms though, but they are teeeeeeny. My son has the smallest one and to save space & give him some more room we put bunk beds in there for him. It not only gives him extra space to spread out (his room is probably about 6x9) it gives an extra bed if he has a friend over. Hubby and I have a teeny room also. We've squeezed a kind size bed in there...but you can't walk around it. Luckily the room has two doors so you can enter or exit from each side - you just can't walk across the room. We have a tiny eat-in kitchen. I fixed it up with a cute kitchenette table. I can basically stand in one spot and be able to cook on the stove, wash dishes, and serve the table. Living room is also small by most standards. But we make it work. Honestly, if you don't make a big deal to the kids about the house being small, they'll never know! It will just be home in their minds. I like your idea about the loft. That could be a nice space for your daughter ~ very cozy!

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