Feedback Received!

Thank you so much for your thoughts on yesterdays post about room sharing!!! I didn’t respond to anyone but, in hopes that you responded because you had read the post, I figured I could throw my response on here 🙂 Lots of you had similar ideas and advice, so I bet a lot of it works, which is hopeful for me!

I should clarify – we very much plan for Dekker and Laela to share a room. We are, however, waiting until she hypothetically sleeps through the night. I’m glad some of you could relate to me in the way of wanting to switch them out. I would put them together in a room now if I didn’t think Laela would wake Dekker, but of course she would at this point. In that way, I could just get over myself and wait it out. Dekker was sleeping through at eight weeks and I don’t want to raise my hopes, but that would be sooo great if Laela did the same. Then, in just a few more weeks, they could be rooming. I know there would be some nights of adjustment and waking each other up, but I’m more than ok with that. I’m thinking this is probably my best option in the moment. If she won’t sleep through, we could have a problem.

The issue of Dekker waking is also my concern with putting Laela out of the room once she falls asleep. Wouldn’t her little sounds (or her cries when she wakes for food or a change) wake him beyond a point of going back? I suppose thats just a risk I’d take. Laela’s cradle is basically a tiny wooden crib on wheels, so we could just roll her out I suppose and give it a try?

About the tiptoeing, I TOTALLY agree that kids should be able to sleep through things. How would you ever have company over in the evenings if they couldn’t?! We were actually very intentional with that about Dekker. I made plenty of noise during his daytimes naps for sure, because I figured he’d sleep deeper at night and lighter in the day. We do the same with Laela in the day, and I think my tiptoeing so fearfully in the night is more based on my anxiety than it is a parenting tactic. I don’t try to be that way, I promise. Always something to work on, right?

The  white noise/music idea makes me a bit nervous, to be honest. For those who have done it, have you found your kids depend on it to fall asleep? Like, would you have to bring their music or white noise machine if you slept somewhere else?

I think I covered most of everyones ideas here. Oh, except the idea to buy a bigger house 🙂 On it! Literally. We’ve had our sights open for quite some time, and are hoping to move next year, Lord willing. I would love to have two kids rooms for sure, so the newbie could be in one and the other hypothetical kids in the other.

 

I had a super nice day today. I spent the day with Jerilee, drinking coffee and FINALLY catching up with her! We haven’t actually seen each other since she came to the hospital to meet Laela. Love her. Tomorrow we’ll spend the morning with Willa, who I also haven’t seen in a while. Love her too. I’m so blessed to have so many friends nearby who love my family.

As always, God is good.

Karina

Our older two boys have shared a room since the younger one was about 9 months old, and we found that they adjusted amazingly well to each other’s night noises. One could be screaming and the other would sleep through it, no problem. Now that they are 3 and 5 they sometimes keep each other up a bit too late in the evening or wake each other in the morning, but during the night they definitely never bother each other. Sharing a room is good for them – I say go for it whenever you feel ready 🙂

Karina

Oh, and I was going to say that they’ve never napped at the same time in the same room, though. The older one always napped in our bedroom so they wouldn’t disturb each other – naps seem to be lighter sleep times for us, anyway. But I do love naps at the same time and will do almost anything to make that happen – I need that time of peace and quiet for myself 🙂