Double bed or small double bed for daughter's room

GDB2222

silvercar said:

GDB2222 said:

Postik said:

GDB2222 said:

And, the OP described her daughter as a petite teenager, so quite possibly under the age of consent. Perhaps I’m just old fashioned, though. 

Thanks, she's 13 years old

So, last year, when she was around 12, she asked for a double bed?!

The question is why she asked in the first place. If she simply wants to appear grown up, and grownups have double beds, that would be fine.  However, there is a potential safeguarding issue, and I do think that you should try to find out what put the idea in her mind. 

By the way, I am sorry that I answered you flippantly before. 

Many kids of that age want double beds. They use their bedrooms for far more than sleeping. They are happy for hours watching TV or on social media sprawled out on the bed. Girls particularly like to have their bedrooms covered in a myriad of cushions on the bed and floor and often will have their friends around to chill. I don’t think there is anything sinister in this. 

I’m delighted to hear that I may well be wrong about this. We had mainly boys!

Gavin83

Postik said:

Thanks for your replies.

@horsewithnoname I know where you are coming from, but my daughter is only small and petite at the moment. She really doesn't need a double bed at all. But amongst all the chaos last year it's something I promised her when we moved, so I can't really go back on it now!

At the moment being the key words. She'll grow quickly and I'm expecting you'd want this bed to last more than a few years. Given the lifetime of a bed it's not unreasonable to assume she'll want a boyfriend sleeping alongside her in the future. I had friends sharing my bed as well, which might not be necessary if there's a guest bed somewhere (and you don't mind a teenager in it) but something to consider.

Ultimately the question is how future proof you want this bed to be and what the circumstances are.

Postik

GDB2222 said:

So, last year, when she was around 12, she asked for a double bed?!

The question is why she asked in the first place. If she simply wants to appear grown up, and grownups have double beds, that would be fine. 

Yes I think it is this

silvercar said:

Many kids of that age want double beds. They use their bedrooms for far more than sleeping. They are happy for hours watching TV or on social media sprawled out on the bed. Girls particularly like to have their bedrooms covered in a myriad of cushions on the bed and floor and often will have their friends around to chill. I don’t think there is anything sinister in this. 

Correct.  She has so many teddies and soft toys on the bed I don't know how she actually fits in herself.

I know a couple of people said a small double will last "a couple of years" - surely at 15cm smaller than a full double it would be longer than that?  Although irrelevant at the present time, when I was above the age of consent I seem to recall sleeping with a partner in a single bed at times.  I would assume a small double would be more than adequate size-wise for many years to come.

getmore4less said:

Small double should last 2 years then review.

The key is what does she want from the room?

There is limited space, bed, desk, storage all competing for the Sam space.

The room is fairly large and already has a desk, wardrobe and chest of drawers and there would be room for a full size double.  But I don't want to hog more space than necessary.  I personally would prefer she keeps the single bed and has more floor space but as mentioned before I did promise her a new bed before we moved.

greensalad

GDB2222 said:

Postik said:

GDB2222 said:

And, the OP described her daughter as a petite teenager, so quite possibly under the age of consent. Perhaps I’m just old fashioned, though. 

Thanks, she's 13 years old

So, last year, when she was around 12, she asked for a double bed?!

The question is why she asked in the first place. If she simply wants to appear grown up, and grownups have double beds, that would be fine.  However, there is a potential safeguarding issue, and I do think that you should try to find out what put the idea in her mind. 

Safe guarding just for asking for a double bed?!

As a child at a similar age I yearned for a double bed. I even tried to convince my Mum to swap bedrooms with me on the basis that she didn't spend much time in there whereas I spent all my time in my room. (Obviously she did not relinquish her room! But at the time I thought it was worth asking!) Having a nice big bed as a teenager basically gives you a space to sleep, sit, watch films, hang out with friends. When I was a teenager we always hung out at my best friend's house and he had a large room with a double bed so we could all sit around on it, plus it's an extra space for a friend to sleep for a sleepover. It doesn't have to have a sexual element to it!

greensalad

Postik said:

I know a couple of people said a small double will last "a couple of years" - surely at 15cm smaller than a full double it would be longer than that?  Although irrelevant at the present time, when I was above the age of consent I seem to recall sleeping with a partner in a single bed at times.  I would assume a small double would be more than adequate size-wise for many years to come.

It'll be absolutely fine. I slept in a single bed until the age of 22 and I'm 5'6" and 18st! A teenage girl should be fine, it's only the boys when they get super lanky that might need extra length, but width is normally fine for most people. 

I'd get a frame and mattress that will last ten years, as that's around when you'd want to replace a mattress most likely. You may end up getting rid of it earlier, if she's gone out of the house by the age of 23, but also maybe you'll turn her bedroom into a guest room instead and then keep the small double. Who knows. Regardless, I'd get something that won't need replacing until the room requirements change (i.e she moves out).

Doom_and_Gloom

If you want to help with the space issue a little maybe invest in an ottoman small double?
That is what OH and I upgraded to some years ago. I think it is much better storage wise vs the bins on wheels that go under beds.

I also will weigh in on the having a small double as a teen. I spent a lot of time in my room with my best friend lounging on it with many pillows, and yes also teddies, watching TV or talking. In my opinion it makes a room feel more comfortable to have friends over. Single beds aren't as inviting to sit on with a friend to relax, and the idea of sitting on the floor together or one on a chair used to do homework doesn't seem inviting either.

I will add that it was helpful that when I moved out that my parents allowed me to take the bed and that it was perfectly fine for my OH and I size wise. Saved us a bit of money at the time not needing to buy a bed ourselves. OH had been sleeping on a small single (don't recommend two people sleeping on one of those but we did so one night I stayed at his) so for him it was a step up even if he was sharing the bed.
As it is we still have a small double now in our 30's and it is fine so I don't agree that they are okay for only a couple of years. I had the original bed frame for 12+ years before we upgraded to the ottoman version.

Postik

Thanks all, I am going to go with the small double.  Hopefully matress shopping tomorrow.