One of the features we loved about our house when we purchased it was an additional room, "the bonus room." This room is not level with the upstairs and the other bedrooms. However, if you go down four steps from the main hallway you will enter this room. In addition, it is not a legal bedroom because it does not have a closet. What results is, for all intents and purposes, a fourth bedroom upstairs (the 5th is on the main floor).
We have had several opportunities to use this room. During the day, we have another child share the babysitter at my home. He sleeps in a pack n play in the bonus room. And at night, when my stubborn baby would not sleep through the night, we would use this room as her bedroom. That way, she would not wake up any of the other kids during the night. More recently, however, we have been having trouble with the two older girls going to sleep at the same time. They would disturb one other at bedtime. This one would be playing with the shades. The other one would be giggling instead of trying to fall asleep. We tried to stagger their bedtimes, but the second one to go in would simply wake up the first.
Last week, I decided the solution was to play Musical Rooms. Siri would sleep in her crib in the same room with Kayla. The oldest, Arielle, would have the bonus room to herself for a trial period. I was hoping that if she needed to read with the light on for a little longer, she would not disturb anyone. Furthermore, she would not wake Kayla when she went into the room.
So far, we have avoided many fights at bedtime. We have also avoided having either girl come in and out, in and out with various complaints about how the other one was keeping her up.
All of the kids, including Tzvi who has his own room, have been going to sleep fairly smoothly.
I am truly grateful that we bought a four bedroom house with a bonus room. It certainly feels like a bonus!
Please share any experiences that you have had with sibling rivalry at bedtime. What have you done to solve it?
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