Two Daughters to Share a Room

Two of my three sons share a room, (ages 2 and 3). They seem to sleep better now than they did before. They have become much heavier sleepers. The only issue we have had is nap time. They like to play with each other instead of sleep...

I had those same fears when I put my children in the same room. They are 20 months apart and 1 never slept through the night. It didn't bother the other at all. During nap time I just made sure the older one had something creative to do - like play doh, puzzles or whatever to keep her busy and not think about waking the other up. They actually seem to like the comfort of knowing somebody was in their room other than themselves. Worked out great and we had our room back..

My girls are 16 months apart, too, and they have shared a room since the younger was about 8 months old (They are now 3 and almost 2). Like everyone else who has responded, I've been pleasantly surprised at how little they disturb each other. They even help each other sleep sometimes. If they are not ready to sleep immediately when we put them to bed, we tell them that they can laugh and tell jokes until they are ready to sleep. They do just that! Once in a while they wake one another, but we have made it through all kinds of bugs and bad dreams with one child making lots of noise and the other sleeping right through it. Our little one was still up 3-5 times/night when we moved them in together, but it somehow really didn't disrupt our older daughter's sleep. Certainly we had some very good luck. I wonder, too, if toddlers sleep harder than we think they do?

Best wishes to you. I know those close-together babies take a lot of energy. My experience was that I slept better and had a little more energy once we got the baby in her own bed. Hope that works for you, too.

I have three girls sharing a room - 1, 3 and 5. It took a couple of nights for the youngest to get calmed down with the excitement of a new room and her sisters being with her. But it works greats (most of the time.) They get use to each others noises and sleep right through each other waking up. Some night is still takes them a little longer to calm down but most of the time it is not a problem at all. The youngest sometimes wakes the other two up in the morning but they play and talk together in the room. Find a routine that will work for both of them at bed time and combine it together for ease and time. We tuck in, say prayers and chat all at the same time.

HI R.,
I have 4 children with the 5th due in 6 wks and the two older kids share a room and the two younger share a room and I've never had a problem with one waking up the other. If I have, they are so few and far between that I don't recall them. Even when they've been sick and one was coughing all night it didn't seem to bother the other child. My son gets up in the middle of the night to potty every night and it never wakes up his sister likewise she is always loosing her pacifire and it makes her cry and when I go in there to find it for her he is still snoozing away totally unfazed by her. They actually do like sharing rooms too. Recently when my oldest started spending nights at friends houses, her sister couldn't sleep because she didn't like being alone so we would have to let her fall asleep with us then we would put her to bed. Having the kids share a room also helps get them all on the same schedule since when one gets up in the morning they all get up sortly afterwards which then helps coordinate their nap times too, so now the two youngest nap at the same time during the day which is so nice :) I know that once my new baby starts sleeping through the night I will put her in with the two younger ones so that they can help her be on a schedule and become used to night distractions and noises too. Good luck!

C.

I am a mother of 10 month old boy/girl twins, who share a room. My son wakes up crying at least once every night and my daughter usually sleeps right through it. If she does happen to wake up, from all the noise he is making, she usually falls right back to sleep on her own. Like everyone else has said, it will probably be a lot easier than you think.

Our boys have shared a room since the baby was 3 months old. The baby tends to be a lighter sleeper, but the older one, who wakes up on his own occasionally, sleeps through anything with the baby. We were up all night the other night with severe croup, lights on, etc., and it wasn't until 5 that the older one realized we were even in there. That was after the baby cried all night. I think they just get used to hearing the other.

My daughters are 15 months apart - they have been in the same room since my youngest was 3 months old. She was sleeping through the night (12 hours), so it wasn't an issue for us about waking up. HOWEVER - as you know our two year olds can be restless sleepers at times. At night if one woke up the other - My husband and I both went to one child - got them calmed down - and back to sleep. At first, it seemed like it took a while, but it really only was about 5 minutes. My best advice would be to start with naptimes. As far as napping goes - I put my youngest daughter down for her a.m. nap and then watched a short video, made cookies, or did some other quiet activity with my oldest daughter. Then after lunchtime - I put them both down in the same room for an afternoon nap. Sometimes they played - but I would listen for them to begin to get quiet. It is a battle, but you do have to face it. They are now doing PERFECT!!! (knock on wood) They finally got used to each others noises!!! HOORAY!!! Good Luck to you!!

I have a feeling that your daughters will eventually get onto the same sleep schedule; you may even find that when they wake, they will entertain each other for a while for a few more needed minutes of sleep.

I'm assuming your short on space and that is why you are having them share a room. However, since your youngest is still in a crib, would it be possible for you to put the crib in another room (even the living room) until you can get the two girls a bit closer in schedules? During the interim you could start adjusting your older daughter by telling her how important it is that she be quiet when she wakes up (tell her that her sister is right outside of her room and can hear her). That if it's still dark out, she needs to go back to sleep and that if it's light out, she can quietly come get you?

I too have 2 daughters, 1 is 3 yrs 4mos (40mos), and the other is 20 mos. They share a bedroom and are great sleepers. I was worried at first, but like you said, they got used to each other. Everytime they yelled out for someone, I went in and reminded them that they need to be quiet and come into my room to get me if they need something. (really just the older one) It took a while, but it eventually worked. They do well now and both are in "big" girl beds. Good Luck! -Cristy