There are many differing opinions about whether or not it is a good idea for siblings to share a bedroom. Teachers will comment that, when asking a yawning child in their class why they are so tired, the reply is usually related to disturbed sleep because of a sibling keeping them awake. On the other hand, many parents will comment that their children thrive in a shared bedroom environment. Some families have no choice but to have siblings sharing a bedroom due to a lack of rooms (or unexpected twins or triplets!) If you’re thinking about whether or not your children need a bedroom of their own, you may wish to know some of the advantages and disadvantages of sharing.
This is the week when kids across the UK go back to school for the beginning of a whole new school year. Many little ones will be going to school for the very first time, with parents shedding a tear whilst taking photos of their little darlings in their fresh new school uniforms for the first time. For other children, it will be the start of a new school, the giant step to secondary school where education becomes even more of a serious business. Some kids will be starting at a new school due to the family moving home over the summer – this can be a bit of an awkward time, especially if the child feels like the new kid in the class that already has established friendships and tight groups. Whatever the circumstance, a new school year is always a fresh new start – a time for the kids to settle in as they mean to go on, doing their best to learn what they need to know to get a great education.
Bedtime in a family home should be a quiet and nurturing time, an enjoyable time for both parents and kids as the little ones wind down from their busy day and get ready for the Land of Nod. However, not all families will enjoy this civilized, picture book style of bedtime and many of us will be familiar with the pleading and whining that accompany bedtime, especially during these long summer nights when it gets dark later.