AS MORE and more families feel the weight of the cost of living crisis, one mum has revealed she’s had to cram eight people into a three-bed house.
Taking to TikTok, the mum, who goes by @singlewithseven, showed off her home and explained how she makes it work.
The mum ensured her older kids each had their own space[/caption]
The family added a partition to the living room so they could have another bedroom[/caption]
With seven kids, the mum was left with no choice but to make the most of every nook and cranny in the home.
In the first bedroom sleeps the first of her kids, who has a high-sleeper bed so there’s more room underneath for his desk and gaming bits.
The mum also managed to cram in a chest of drawers and a built-in wardrobe in the small bedroom.
The master bedroom sleeps three of the mum’s daughters, with a bunkbed and single bed on opposite sides of the room.
The little ones even decorated their chest of drawers with plenty of stickers for a fun, personal touch.
Across the landing is where the mum sleeps, which she jokingly referred to as “the dumping ground” and added “this room stresses me out as soon as I walk into it.”
But once again, the savvy mum made the most of the limited space with plenty of storage and a cot at the foot of her double bed for her youngest.
Downstairs, the mum explained that they had the lounge partitioned to make another bedroom.
The DIY project meant another one of the kids could have their own bedroom with a double bed, wardrobe and a desk.
The final bedroom was also downstairs, but this time just off of the kitchen.
“It’s the smallest room in the house but at least it’s her own space,” the mum said.
Impressively, the mum had also managed to decorate most of the bedrooms to create a cosy vibe for everyone.
After showing off the makeshift home in a viral clip, which has so far amassed a whopping 2.5 million views, many people praised the mum’s efforts.
One said: “I think it’s great! You’ve made the most of all the space in the house and you’ve made sure to give your older ones privacy.
“Also, your house is lived-in, not messy, and shows a realistic home with a lot of kids. Well done.”
And a second wrote: “Super mum, well done! I’m a single mum of four, it’s easy for people to judge but they don’t know your story.”
Meanwhile, someone else suggested the mum switch bedrooms so hers is closer to the front door, rather than her daughter.
“Only issue I’d say is mum should have the downstairs room closest to there door. If there was any intruder etc. But I get you might want to be closer to the younger children upstairs.”
However, not everyone was so kind to the mum, and some said she shouldn’t have had seven kids in the first place.
“Why have that many kids if you can’t afford more rooms?” one slammed.
Bedtime tips for mums
IF YOU’RE fed up with your toddler refusing to go to bed, then keep reading.
A child health expert has revealed the five steps you need to take to calm your kid down for a good night’s sleep.
Dr Kaylene Henderson spoke to Nine Honey about what to do if your toddler just won’t seem to settle for the night.
Each child is different and needs a different amount of sleep depending on their age, but these easy steps can make the evenings a little easier for parents.
Just like adults, children need enough time to wind down before being put to bed.
One step to take is to ensure they have enough time to properly wind down after a busy day.
The expert recommends one to two hours to transition toddlers into bed time.
And it’s just as important that parents take the time to wind down and be more present to help toddlers feel calmer.
Dr Henderson explains: “Our children are like barometers of household tension after all.
“If we want our children to wind down, we need to make an effort to switch off – from our phones, our work emails and from the many other sources or distraction competing for our attention.”
We’ve all been told to turn our screens off before going to bed because the blue light stops our brains from producing melatonin, our body’s sleep hormone.
So the expert suggests turning it off 60 to 90 minutes before bed to ensure children get a good night’s sleep.
Music and meditation can also help get your child into the land of nod claims the expert.
She adds that slow-paced music, of around 60 beats per minute, can help their breath, heart rate, brain waves, and relax their muscles.
“There are also lovely guided meditations developed specifically to help young children to get to sleep at night.
“Headspace for Kids dedicated section on sleep that is customised to three age groups: five and under, six to eight and nine to 12 – and you can try it for free,” she adds.
Finally, Dr Henderson recommends sticking to a nightly routine every night to help your toddler drift off easily.
When children know what to expect every night they find it easier to relax, and of course, fall asleep.
One of the best ways to do this is with a bedtime story.
She adds: “Remember, the goal is to transition our little ones towards sleep, so bedtime stories tend to be the perfect tool, in the perfect place.”
