How living space can shape character
A study of young people in Sheffield suggests a teenager's bedroom can give insight into his or her character. Are young people who have their own bedroom antisocial, spoilt and selfish brats? Do teenagers sharing a room grow into well-balanced, caring and responsible citizens? Young journalists from Children's Express give their opinions.
| The advantages of sharing a room are that you are not the only one who has to tidy it, and you can take their best clothes. |
Sharing can mean caring
The biggest advantage of having your own room is having your privacy. You can have your posters on the wall and whatever music you want on, without your younger or older brother or sister telling you what they want on.
The advantages of sharing a room are that you are not the only one who has to tidy the room. Also you have got someone to talk to and you can take their best clothes. The disadvantages of sharing a room are that you have no privacy, always having somebody going through all your private stuff.
You are also arguing over who wants to watch what on the TV and what music you're going to listen to. I think that sharing a room can make you less selfish because you are used to sharing things and not getting your own way all the time.
Katie Burrell, aged 15
Shared secrets as well as space
Children who share a bedroom can talk to each other and say things they can't to anyone else in the family. Some teenagers like sharing a room and get on together but some teenagers just hate it - maybe because they cannot compromise.
Teenagers who have their own bedroom are not necessarily selfish, it's just sometimes they might not want to lend things. The issue depends on the personalities of the people. But it's all right sharing a bedroom if you have the same taste in music and get along. If you don't and you haven't got a room of your own, life becomes difficult.
Donna Ives Keeler, aged 13.
Age gap creates big problems
I have my own room and I like it because it's my own space and I can go there when I want to be alone. I wouldn't like to share a room because I don't get along with my sister too well.
I used to share a room when I was little and I didn't like it then because we argued because we both wanted to do different things in my bedroom. I have all my personal stuff like my books and my CD player. All my friends would hate to share a room. I think there could be a problem with sharing when there's a large age gap between the people sharing.
Laura Brunt, aged 15
My little brother isn't compatible
I have had my own room and it was really good because I could watch the TV and have it on for as long as I wanted to. I didn't have to worry about waking somebody up.
I had my own computer, my own stereo and my own TV.I could have the music on for as long as I wanted to have it on and as loud as I wanted to but now I have to share with my little brother who is 12 so he goes to bed earlier so I can't watch the telly late in case it wakes him up. I have to share my computer with him.
I would really love to have my own room but there isn't enough room in my house for me to have a separate bedroom. I think children that have there own rooms are more selfish because I have experienced both situations and when I had my own room I wouldn't lend anything out.
David Burnham, aged 15
My privacy is very important
I think having your own room does not make a person selfish: it gives you more chance to be an individual. I have never shared a room but I do not really call myself selfish and can't recall a time when anyone else has.
If I had the option of sharing or not, I'd like to have tried both. I would have liked to share a room when I was younger but now, at 16, I would not. I value my privacy too much.
Sara Hawkins, aged 16
About this article
This article was published in the Sheffield Star.
