Is sharing a room good idea

I have two girls, aged 2 and 4. They have been in separate rooms until 3 weeks ago when we redecorated 4 yr old's room and put them in together. They usually get on well together and play well together so thought it would be a nice idea. 4 yr old always been good at going to bed, 2 yr old resists bed time and take a while to settle.
We took the opportunity of changing 2 yr old's cot bed into a bed during the move so she can now get in and out. Since they have been in together she wont stay in bed and just gets up to play as soon as we leave the room. She encourages the 4 yr old to join in and mayhem ensues. The only way they would settle was for me stand like a sentry guard in their room until asleep, which I hate doing. The last couple of nights we have tried putting 2 yr old down first and sneaking 4 yr old into bed a little later which seems to settle them better. However, last night 2 yr old was wide awake at 2.00 am and wanted to play, so they were both wide awake and playing until gone 3 in the morning, when I gave up trying to get them to go to sleep and just left them to it. I expected them to sleep in late this morning after their nighttime romp, but they were wide awake again at 5.30 (they usually get up around 7.00).
Have I done the right thing putting them in together or should I call it a day and move little one back into her own room? 4 yr old starting full time school in September so will need her sleep.

Sharing a bed-room is a brilliant idea. At the moment they are in the novelty stage and with your 2 year old also moving into a BGB this is also something that is a novelty for her. I would continue putting 2 year down first and do rapid return every-time she comes out fo her bed and if possible leave 4 year up until 2 year is a sleep. Once they have got over the novelty of sharing a room they will sleep through again with no problems. Hopefully thi swill happen before 4 year old starts school. Good luck and fingers crossed everynight goes better than the last

I don't think it is, growing up I had to share a room with my brother who was older by two years, I really really hated it, I didn't have any space of my own, no privacy I couldn't even get dressed in my own bedroom. If you are stressed or even just need some quiet to do your homework, you don't have anywhere to go.

I shared with my sister and there are pros and cons for each side of the argument. All I can say is it did me no harm and doing homework want a problem- we had to do ours at the kitchen table, changing in front of each other wasn't an issue either we were bathed together and bedded together. We were sepreated when we were older though so through the more hormonal times we were on our own (although spent alot of time in each others room- when we were speaking)

You do what you want. Stick with sharing at the moment, everything is new for the youngest and she will settle down.

I agree with Alex. I shared on and off with my brother for a few years, however certainly at the age of 10+ separate rooms is probably a better idea. Before then the getting changed issue is not usually an issue for kids, unless the child is really sensetive about something. Frankly the getting changed in front of other boys was never really an issue as I used to do a lot of sailing afterwards you jump in the shower starkers with a bunch of other boys/men around you. I really don't understand people getting hung up about that sort of thing, it is like blokes having to use a cubicle to take a leak instead of using the urinal. Why???
Any way I digress. My two girls have shared for the last 6 years without any real problems, and I suspect if they're going to get up then they will go into each others rooms anyway if separated. I expect as already said, once the novelty wears off then it will sort itself out. Keep the separate bed times if this helps.

orc30 said:
you jump in the shower starkers with a bunch of other boys/men around you.

sounds like heaven to me Owen

Alex said:

orc30 said:
you jump in the shower starkers with a bunch of other boys/men around you.

sounds like heaven to me Owen

There's always one who has to lower the tone!! It's usually me though.