I wasn't allowed in my parents' bedroom and my toddler shouldn't be in mine

"It felt so wrong to be in there I just sat in the edge of the bed and looked around."

I grew up in a family of five kids, so it was little wonder that our parents discouraged us from spending time in their bedroom.

Fast forward many years, and I have one child and a puppy who live on my bed - eating snacks,  watching movies, playing. But I can see that it would have been too intense with five of us.

It's the reason why a mum on the internet has asked if she's setting a bad habit with their first child.

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. 

RELATED: Family fits five kids in one bedroom

"It felt so forbidden"

She writes:

"Growing up, my parents bedroom was off limits. There were a handful of occasions where they let us in and it was always so surreal, it felt so forbidden.

"I thought everyone did this, that little kids just weren't allowed in the grown ups' rooms. One time when my grandmother was watching us kids, I got in trouble and she said I had to sit in my parents' room.

"It felt so wrong to be in there I just sat in the edge of the bed and looked around.

"We are still co sleeping with our 2.5 year old and I'm not sure when or how we're gonna stop. I think it would be nice to have one space that is just for me/my partner and for the kids to know it's off limits, but it doesn't seem very realistic.

"Tell me if you were allowed in your parents room, and if you let your kids in yours?"

Image: iStock

"Get clever with hiding things"

More than 600 people had something to say on the topic - including our Kidspot team.

Em said: "-I was always allowed in my parents' bedroom and my kids are absolutely allowed in ours. Get clever with hiding your things if need be but I believe a kid should always feel like they are welcome in their own home

"I should say we are big on respecting other people's things (well, we are trying to be) so it's not like they get into my room and go through my stuff... The main attraction is our King Bed for bouncing purposes."

Elizabeth shared: "We were always allowed in my parents room, although we didn't seem to be in there very often - way less than my kids are in ours."

And  I also admitted: "We weren't allowed in there but we hung out on the big bed watching TV when they weren't home."

In the comments, people seem to imply that forbidding kids from certain rooms may be an old concept.

"My teens love to crawl into bed next to me and tell me all about their day when I’m trying to fall asleep," said one, and another added, "No kids allowed when I was a kid - ours are allowed, now."

This parent had some solid guidelines: "The rule with *all* bedrooms in our house is that you're allowed in if you knock first and ask permission and the room owner says ok.

"Those are our personal spaces within the house. My kids don't enter my room unless they've asked. I don't enter theirs unless I've asked. Don't want me in there? Cool, I left your laundry outside of the door."

Meanwhile, this parent declared an open door policy: "My kids just hang out in my bed! They have their own room! They come in the night when they have nightmares or don't feel well. We cuddle !

"The one memory I have about my parents room stays with me and I want them to always feel that comfy, warm safe feeling."

Originally published as I wasn't allowed in my parents' bedroom and my toddler shouldn't be in mine