bunk room

Imagine you have 4 kids and a 3BR house. Most people say, "two in each room". Sometimes families have all boys or all girls, or two of each. But what if you have five kids and a 3 BR house? Which kids have to share 3 to a room? This is ALWAYS a topic of conversation in our home. We have 4 boys, 11,8, 17 months, and 5 months (and a stepson, 15, who lives across the country). Our 11 and 8 year olds want to share with the babies, but the 8 year old tends to be extremely careless when it comes to keeping a safe environment for the babies. The solution we have come up with is a bunk room. Two bunk beds, all four boys in 1 room. Not much else. Just beds and clothes. No TV, no video games, no cell phones. This is the "quiet room". The babies can nap, the big boys can read on their beds, but any way it goes, it is the "quiet room". Anyone can be in there any time, but only quiet activities are permitted. A curtain is provided for each childs bed when they are old enough to want their own private space.

The other bedroom is then turned into the "party room". The place where you can play board games, with their toys, video games, have friends over, or watch TV. It is their escape to have fun. It is also a great place for guests to stay or for the kids to have some privacy when their friends are over and not displacing their "room mate". A simple pullout couch, futon, or daybed, TV and old table with chairs, along with their games and toys in the closet is perfect for kids.

It also gives us our television back if we want to watch TV or have some quiet time. Everyone is happy. This design actually gives MORE privacy than 2 sharing each room, and keeps the kids from killing eachother when one is watching TV and the other is doing homework. The best part? Only one room is a disaster because the worst that is in their bunk room can be unmade beds and dirty clothes not put in the baskets. I will be taking this one step further and protecting the carpets with a covering so the kids will be able to do projects and crafts without ruining the carpet, and eventually putting in a highly washable paint for the walls. This should make cleaning a breeze.

Anyone else ever considered bunk rooms?