We've been lied to about kids sharing a bedroom - and I have proof

An Aussie mum has perfectly summed up the consequences of being guilted into buying a house large enough for each of her kids to "have their own space".

Source: TikTok / @angusthelabel

A mum has struck a chord with parents for her brutal assessment of whether siblings need their own space and shouldn't be "forced" to share bedrooms.

Emma posted her short but sweet rant to her TikTok, and if you've been getting pressure from your kids about this, you'll find it super relatable.

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"We've been sold a lie"

Emma begins the clip by telling us, "We have been fed such a lie that you need a big house and everyone needs their own room and all the kids need their own space."

She continues: "Because let me tell you. Even if you get that - your kids will be in your a*sehole anyway."

One viewer wrote in response: "It's true. When I got my big house I quickly realised that I hated it."

Another added, "Our house is 600m2, we live on three acres. Rare that kids are more than 2m from one of us."

This mum revealed, "We had a six bedroom with four kids and they all eventually gathered to one bedroom each night 😅."

And one woman shared: "My girls share a room and at this point if I tried to separate them I would have a full-blown mutiny on my hands."

But our favourite reaction to the post was:

"THE SELF CONTROL IT TOOK TO NOT SPIT MY WINE 😂😂😂."

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So, do kids really need their own rooms?

If you're in the midst of the debate, the Kidspot team helpfully revealed their own shared-bedroom experiences.

Carly - "I had my own room ever since I was a little kid right across from my sister's - that meant we didn't have to upgrade in size until we moved into a bigger place. Eventually, we could be a little creative as teens decorating our own spaces to what we each liked. And we still grew up very close since we could literally sit on our beds and talk to each other."

Laura - "One of six kids, no choice but to share. I shared until I moved out at 18!

"Obviously as a teen it sucked, but it's all we knew so didn't care too much. I shared with one sister my entire childhood, we have always been close, and are the best of friends today.

"Some of my favourite memories are rearranging our room together, and having a secret sign language to talk to one another across our beds, once lights were out. Getting up on Christmas and exciting occasions early together.

"Because of that, now about to have a third baby - and being in a three bedder house - I have no concerns about my kids having to share, or feel pressure to move to get them their own rooms."

Source: TikTok / @angusthelabel

Char - "I'm one of four and remember sharing with my sister as a little girl for many years. To us, it was the best treat ever, we would sit up giggling and singing, pretending to be asleep when Mum or Dad came in for the 15th time, waking each other up in the morning way too early - such precious memories.

"With two girls of my own now, I'll definitely be popping them in the same bedroom once they're a little older. I have no doubt it will strengthen their bond even more."

Leah - "I think it depends on the sex of the siblings. I shared a room with my brother briefly when we were building our house and hated every minute of it. I wanted a girly room, he wanted to play loud music and obsess over his aquarium.

"I was conscious of this with my own children - boy and girl - so was keen to have them separate as early as possible. Their rooms are opposite each other so they enjoy playing and talking but also have their own space when they need it."

This story was updated in April 2024.

Originally published as We've been lied to about kids sharing a bedroom - and I have proof