A big part of being a mom is giving up your cozy bedspace to make room for little ones, but one Irish family has taken the family bed to a whole new level.
Mom, dad, and four kids all pile into a whopping 18-foot bed every night to sleep. While it may horrify some people, Kim insists it’s a super practical arrangement.
“It all started when Corey was a baby and he started sleeping in beside Ryan and I to help keep him settled at night,” she explains.
“Then, as more children came alone, they wanted to sleep in with us, too. When the older ones moved out and a younger one moved in, they would come back and say that’s not fair — we want to be in the big bed with you all, too.”
“In the end, we had a king size bed, a super king, and a single, all joined together to make one huge 18-foot bed which was big enough for everyone.”
Now some of the kids are getting a little older, they have started to want their own rooms, although they occasionally spend a night in the family bedroom on a mattress on the floor.
“Our children are happy, independent, self-sufficient characters who just happen to like sharing a bed. When they are ready they ask for their own room and bed, so we have moved beds out into the spare room.”
Kim explains that she tends to go to bed with the youngest ones, around 10pm, brushing their teeth together before snuggling down for a chat and a bedtime story.
And what about the burning question — what do Kim and Ryan for a little, er, adult time?
“Ryan and I often sleep together in the spare room, at least for part of the night, before someone will end up in the middle of us or I will go and get into the big bed.”
“We are very honest with the children and will just say mummy and daddy are going for a snuggle now and we will be in with you in a while,” says Kim simply.