Parents say sharing a room is good for kids

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When a house has three or four bedrooms, why are children sharing a room? More parents who put their kids together when they had a smaller house are keeping the arrangement when they move to a bigger one. They say it builds character.

About 37 percent of new homes sold in the last decade had at least four bedrooms, according to the National Association of Home builders. Though one would suspect that parents have plans for the extra room, many parents believe sharing a room is good for kids. Some of their reasons:

- Children of a similar age enjoy being together. They talk to each other and donít feel lonely at night.

- Pediatricians say young children often sleep better when a sibling is in a room.

- Children with siblings develop better negotiating and compromising skills. Bunking together helps them practice these skills.

- It can keep them from becoming self-centered materialists, according to the family social science department of the University of Minnesota.

Builders say only 40 percent of people planning homes with several bedrooms are giving each child a separate bedroom.

As children get older they might need a room of their own, especially if bedtime play gets rowdy. But bunking together for a few years has another benefit. It helps to prepare kids for sharing a dorm room when they go to college.

Long Island Family Life & Parenting Articles > Parents say sharing a room is good for kids