Should Your Kids Share a Room or Should You Get a Bigger House?

The demand for bigger houses is increasing in connection to the growing sizes of families in the United States; however, not everyone has the means to get a bigger house when the need arises. Given this info, is it a wiser choice to let your kids share a room instead of getting a bigger house for your family?

When you first purchased your dream house, you may have thought of only living with your husband/wife and maybe one or two children. However, things and plans can change and sometimes, families end up with more than just two children or another family member ends up living with you.

This change would necessitate a bigger house to live in to accommodate everyone. However, not everyone has enough money to move to a bigger house, which may lead you to the next option: let your kids share a room.

There is a growing debate surrounding this matter, Yahoo! Parenting reported. According to the publication, there are certain aspects to be considered when choosing to let your kids share a room.

While sharing a room can foster a stronger bond within your children, there must still be privacy for each of them.

"Each child should have a little space of his or her own within the larger room," said child psychologist Susan Bartell. "I would recommend having children ask permission to sit on each other's beds to give them control over their own space. It's just like asking before entering a room."

George Cohen, a pediatrician, also discussed with Baby Center the pros and cons of having kids share a room while growing up.

Cohen said that this kind of setup will work depending on the kids' ages and temperaments.

If your children have similar eating and sleeping patterns, then this kind of setup may work for them. However, if you have one who wakes up in the middle of the night and wakes up the rest, then it may be best if you keep them separated from each other.