Most kids, if not all, have slept in the same bed with their parents – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. After all, parents are the safest place kids could ever run to because parents are like sanctuaries – they provide a safe space where kids feel protected. Plus, no one can blame them because there’s an undeniably great feeling about co-sleeping with parents in one bed because they can read your bedtime stories or sing a few lullabies to make you fall asleep. But is there an age limit as to when kids can sleep with their parents?
While kids usually move to a separate bedroom after reaching a certain age, one parent from the city of Granada in Spain chose to share the same bed with her two kids, ages 10 and 12.
It’s not uncommon for children in other parts of the world to share the same bed with their parents due to poor living conditions. That’s right, some people simply have to make do with what they have. But of course, it’s an entirely different story if parents have a choice to put their kids in a separate bedroom.
For Bernie Watkins, she simply enjoys co-sleeping with her pre-teen kids – and she doesn’t plan on letting her kids move to their own bedrooms anytime soon.
Originally from Childwall in Liverpool, Bernie had been sharing the same bed with her kids Frankie (10) and Caden (12) ever since they were born. While her kids have their own rooms and beds, she doesn’t want her kids to move to their bedrooms.
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“We have always been in a bed together – right from when they were newborns and I didn’t want to leave them in a different room on their own,” Bernie told the Daily Mail.
While Bernie had given her kids the freedom to move to a different bedroom, she said they have always wanted to stay with her.
“They can stop when they want and have their own rooms but have always preferred to sleep with me,” Bernie remarked.
Bernie, who admitted they share a close bond as a family, said co-sleeping allows them to share moments together.
“We’re a very close cuddly family so it’s perfect for us – and getting into bed at night is a lovely part of our days,” she said. “We don’t normally share mealtimes so bedtime is our time to all be together and have a cuddle and talk about anything,” she added.
Contrary to what people have been telling her about co-sleeping with her kids, Bernie said her kids are growing up independent individuals.
“People told me they would grow up to be clingy and dependent if we kept sharing but they’re the total opposite,” she stated.
It seems Bernie feels unbothered about what other people have to say about co-sleeping with her kids. While some people may find it weird, she doesn’t see it in any way like that at all.
“I can understand why people say it’s weird because in England it’s not the norm,” she said.
Then again, she said she hopes people would stop judging her for her co-sleeping setup with her kids.
“I wish other people wouldn’t make comments or put barriers up around co-sleeping – people make an automatic judgment,” she told The Sun. “It’s the reason we have such a close bond,” she added.
