Children crave control over their own environments, so sharing a room gives them plenty to fight over. Some private space is critical. Here are some suggestions:
– The smallest room two can share is 11 by 14 feet, says interior designer Antonio F. Torrice. If a room is only big enough to sleep in, carve out a separate space in the house for studying and playing. Give each child some private time alone every day in the shared bedroom.
– Each child should have something that locks: a drawer, box or closet.
”The most important thing is for each kid to have a private place,” says child psychologist Lee Salk. ”It`s a nice feeling to know you can lock something up.”
– One myth about shared rooms is that children love bunk beds. They do-but only the top bunk. Negotiate a contract so children switch bunks every week or month. (Children under 5 are too young for the top bunk.)
– If the room is big enough, divide it with shelving units or a curtain.
”In general, kids prefer to have separate areas,” Salk says. ”Then they can have a communal area where they play.”
– Let each child pick a color to identify his area and possessions-toy bins, toothbrushes, bedcovers, bureaus.
– Given the luxury of an extra closet, remove one closet door and create a sanctuary for one, with built-in padded seat and shelves overhead, or even a loft with a ladder.
– Let the room accommodate both styles and personalities. ”The parental eye may view mutual quarters their offspring share as a hodgepodge of possessions and a crazy quilt of tastes and interests,” Torrice writes.
”But in their children`s eyes, this space that caters to both personalities is what makes it work on a daily basis.”
