step brother sister

[bobby atkin]

I have a friend with a seven year old boy he stays at his fathers weekends so does his stepsister who is thirteen the brother and sister sleep together in the same bed because of space problems is this legal.

[bobby atkin]

Sorry i meant they are half brother and sister not step brother and sister.

[Morrisonker]

I've heard that as soon as a child hits puberty they should be in a seperate room as siblings of the opposite sex, so I should imagine that would be aged around 13. If your friend ex (i presume) lives in a council house they should be able to apply for a larger house because of this. If it's part of a custody agreement I'm sure the mother could (if she wanted) make a complaint that her children aren't being looked after properly at their fathers place but it seems a little mean. Maybe they could talk about it between them.

Just my own opinion but after the age of 5 or 6 kids of different sexes shouldn't be sharing a bed, it's somehing that might cause problems later on and it just doesn't sound right to me, too many implications legally and morally.

[loopey]

i dont know if its illegal or not, how do the kids feel about it at 13 i guess the girl would want her own space. I have 3 boys but if i had a girl not sure i'd be happy about it.

[bobby atkin]

The boy gets upset about it and i am wandering why.

[loopey]

if he gets upset than i'd say it definately shouldnt be allowed

[Kat213]

I'm fairly certain that, if it were a Council house, the local authority rules say that children of different sexes should not be sharing a bedroom as soon as one of them reaches age 11. As Morrisonker has already pointed out, this is grounds for applying for a bigger property. Not so simple of course if its their own house. I have to say I don't really think its appropriate at age 13 to be sharing a bedroom with her half brother, let alone a bed, and especially if one of them appears to be upset about it.

[bobby atkin]

Yes it is their own house i believe the father is in the process of building another bedroom but it will take some time i have suggested a camp bed in the living room as i realise the father is only trying to accomadate both of his children but in the same time upsetting one of them.

[Morrisonker]

at 7 years old the wee boy probably realises it's a bit strange and just doesn't enjoy being in her bed. Also, i know when I was that age and I stayed at my dads house (on a bed settee in the spare room) I got upset because i didn't have my own room and I couldn't understand why. It might be that he's feeling a bit left out and overlooked.

Camp bed in the living room sounds much better although I suppose it limits everyone else in the evenings. Maybe a camp bed in his sisters room?

[Morrisonker]

sorry, that should have said 'my own bedroom' because it was used as a study too.

[bobby atkin]

Thanks for all your suggestions the outcome is a fold up bed in the same bedroom for the short term while the new bedroom is being sorted he seems happy with that.