Big sleepover

Upstairs there are thumps and (mostly) joyful sounds. We're starting a two-week sleepover tonight.

Well, not really. We've got three bedrooms in this house which means that two of our three boys must share a room. The room configuration has remained the same for the last 3 ½ years but over the last

One of the "boy" bedrooms. The other is larger.

month or so we've come to the conclusion that we need to try something different. The most I'm allowed to tell you about why is, "it's a long story".

So the noises upstairs are one boy moving rooms for a two week trial. Because we have bunk beds in both rooms it means little more at this point than moving bedding. We'll see how the experiment goes and possibly make longer term adjustments in a fortnight's time. 

With our boys spaced as they are (spread over six years), it isn't easy for they have different bedtimes and different study needs. 

However we aren't alone. Most families with two or more children in Japan (foreigner or not), have children sharing rooms, unlike most Western kids. We watched Monster's University on NYE and I was struck by how almost all the kid's rooms had a single bed in them (and were very untidy, but I think that's just part of the drama of the movie). 

However, back to us. The boys are all looking forward to our time in Australia in a larger house and having their own bedrooms (although our highly extroverted boy is sure to have a little trouble). But the chances are high that when we return to Japan in the middle of next year, we'll either be in this house or a similarly sized house and two will have to share again. 

Meanwhile, we've just got to survive six more months of this year with three bedrooms. I'm hoping today's change will make a big difference in our lives.

Did you share a room as a child? Are your children sharing rooms? With varying success?