Let's Talk About Beds, Baby!
Let’s talk a bit about beds shall we? If you’ve seen any of our photos of the Airstream, you’ve probably noticed the kid’s amazing bunk beds.
When we were building them, we knew they had to be super sturdy, have enough room to sleep comfortably, and give the kids a space that is their own.
We’ve actually received comments and messages how cruel we are for ‘making the kids live like that’ and someone even said, ‘that’s not enough room for kids’. Well, let’s talk about that a bit shall we?
First off, we aren’t ‘making our kids’ live this way. It’s been a family decision from the very beginning. We wouldn’t be traveling or living in an RV if the kids weren’t okay with it. We know this is not something we will continue forever, but for now everyone is happy and loves it! And as far as there ‘not being enough room for the kids’…their bunks are plenty adequate for them sleeping in or even hanging out during the day to read or relax.
We made sure that even adults could lay down, turn over, and sleep comfortably so we know the little humans in here fit just fine. Plus we have the ability to fold down the top bunks and turn the beds into two couches.
This lets us host friends and creates another living space for us to hang out together.
Where do you and Jonathan sleep? Well, we sleep on the kitchen table! No, really! Our dinette table drops down and our cushions rearrange to create a nearly king size bed!
But is it comfortable? It really is! We have plenty of room that if one of our kids are sick, we’re able to have them sleep with us if they want. And we can all lounge on here for movie nights. Jonathan’s computer monitor swivels out, we all bring our pillows to the bed, and it’s a really fun way to hang out and chill.
But what about privacy? Well, we do have a dark curtain that can hang between the kids’ room and our bed. Where there’s a will, there’s a way - and our kids are really sound sleepers! Add some fan noise and so far so good. Plus, there are more places to connect with your significant other than just the bed (wink).
I don’t mind the questions people ask about why and how we live the way we do, but I do mind when people assume that we’re ruining our kids lives because they share a ‘room’ or because their beds aren’t huge. I mean, this whole idea that a kid needs a huge room to themselves is a pretty new concept - millions of other children around the world are growing up sharing a room and it’s just fine.
If you were to walk into our home when the kids go to bed, you’d likely hear them giggling and talking until they fall asleep each night. This is our normal. And this is what works for us at this time in our lives.
So yeah, we do have a tiny house and we don’t have ANY extra space, but in exchange…we have time, we have love, and we have amazing experiences every week exploring this great big world with our kids. I don’t know about you, but I say that’s a pretty great trade off.
This post was written for inclusion in the October 2018 collection of the Small Family Homes Blog Community. Read below for more writings on living small from our community of writers. Check back next month for a new topic and posts in the series. And if there is a topic you'd like to see us write about, let us know!
Small Family Home -- "Tiny Living with Kids: Sleeping Arrangements" : Finding room for everyone when there aren't enough rooms for everyone.
Tiny Found Us -- "Sleeping Tiny in a Big House" : Letting go of our ideals and getting the rest we need... why we share a bed with our kids.
A Life Shift -- "How We Host a Dinner Party in 590 sq ft" : Why we kick Campbell out of his room - and where he sleeps instead - while we entertain guests in our 590 sq ft apartment.
Deeper Meaning Travels -- "How We Sleep in a Small Space (with kids)" : Living in a small space can be a challenge, but add children into the mix. See how we sleep in a small space in our RV home, with our two children in tow.
Little Bungalow -- "Formerly Known As Den?" : Mulling over all the sleeping arrangement options for our two girls in our two bedroom house.
Tiny Ass Camper -- "Sleep Training Failure" : How sleeping in a small space with our kiddo has impacted our bedtime routines, for better or worse.
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About the Author
Ashley Longnecker is the fiercely independent tattooed and dreaded half of Tiny Shiny Home. She's a woodworker, photographer and maker of delicious baked goods. She loathes schedules and makes every day an adventure.
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