I grew up with six siblings so naturally we shared rooms. My husband (also from a big family) and I have often wondered whether our children should share. We’re lucky that our house could accommodate them each having their own room, but we both felt like room sharing as a child was a valuable learning experience.

When my second daughter arrived, I was set on having my toddler in her own room. The idea of midnight feedings and different nap schedules made room sharing seem like a very bad idea. Now that baby is two, and my husband and I have been considering the idea of combining their rooms to create a separate toy room.

Ultimately it was my two year old that made the decision. She learned to jump out of her crib, and so we started the difficult transition to a bed. As bad as it may sound, I think it is a sad, sad day when we can no longer put baby behind bars and know she can’t get out. The bedtime routine is much more complicated when she has the freedom to walk right out of bed, but it was interesting to see where she ended up in the morning — in our bed, underneath her bed, in a closet. However, we were surprised that she most frequently was found in her sister’s room. So we have decided to give room sharing a try.

Will there be nonstop fighting? Will they get along? I’ve been doing some research, weighing the pros and cons of siblings sharing rooms. Child development experts suggest that their are good points to both sides.

“A strong argument could be made for shared living arrangements based on how peer relations facilitate social, moral and intellectual development,” said Martin Ford, senior associate dean in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and an expert in child social development.

He also warns that a very large age gap can present problems. There is also the consideration that a child who has difficulty sleeping through the night could create a domino effect making for some very tired children and parents.

As a child did you have your own room? What do you think about siblings sharing a room?