What Do You Think of This Idea for Giving up Bed to Guests?

Updated on July 28, 2012
A.S. asks from Schenectady, NY
24 answers

The parents have 2 teenage daughters. They have 4 guests coming to stay for a week. 2 married couples. In the guest room, there is a couch that converts into a bed. Only 2 people can sleep on it due to space and the guest room is so small. The parents have a proposal that one child give up their bed and sleep with the other. 1 daughter doesn't like this idea and came up with another idea that she sleep on this.
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Folding-Padded-Hamm...
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=18544911&...
It's a portable hammock. The daughter will give up her bed and sleep on a hammock while the other doesn't have to give up her bed. The daughter came up with this idea.

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J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

I guess I am old school that I would just tell my daughter to give up her bed for the guests. It's not like it is forever. I do have several air mattresses for camping so if the need comes up I would have my daughter or SD use one of them.

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M.R.

answers from Seattle on

There's NO way I would sleep on a hammock. You'd fall right out. Go get a futon mattress for the floor.

We have a big family that loves to be together. So out come the futons and quilts and all the kids sleep together on any floor space available and the adults get the beds. Period.

5 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

When I sleep over someone else's home, if they don't have a guest room I'm perfectly happy sleeping on a pull out couch or air mattress. I would never dream of displacing their children out of their own beds.

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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

It's a fine plan, but I would not be willing to spend the money on it. I am pretty frugal sometimes. We have had to displace our children for a weekend and it wasn't the end of the world. I wouldn't force kids to share a bed if they didn't want to, but a pallet on the floor, sleeping bag or air mattress seem like more reasonable and practical options to me.

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

My kids always gave up their rooms for guests and happily did so. That's just the way my family does things though.

As a guest, I never want anyone going to too much trouble for me, but when we host someone, I like to make them as comfortable as possible. My kids loved getting to sleep on the air mattress or just in their sleeping bags.

I didn't check out the hammock in the link. I suppose it's a fine suggestion. I just wonder why two sisters can't share a bed in the guestroom for a week. My sister and I are in our 40's and slept together for a week while we attended a family reunion. We had a blast.

Anyway, whatever works for all involved. It's just a temporary thing.

5 moms found this helpful

B.M.

answers from Pocatello on

Well this is how I look at it. When I have family come and stay at my house I feel that they are the guest and they are the ones out of their element so I try to make them as comfortable as possible. So yes I give up beds to try and make it easiest on them. Like one time I had family come, so I took my baby out of her room and put her in a pack n play in our room. That way my sis could put her baby in my baby's crib then she and her hubby slept in that room too on a queen size blow up mattress. It's kinda nice to give guest a room and a bed if you have it. So I would just have the one daughter sleep in the same room with her sister on a blow up mattress. Then each couple has a room to themselves and a little privacy. Plus a place to put their bags and such so it's not all over the living room.

5 moms found this helpful

K.L.

answers from Cleveland on

How it would work in my house is this: both girls give up their rooms for the week so the houseguests are more comfortable, and sleep in the guest room. :)

4 moms found this helpful
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N.W.

answers from Eugene on

I have an airbed for guests. They have told me that it is comfortable.

When teens stay overnight, I don't even bother with the airbed, they just put their sleeping bags on the floor. If they need more padding, then can fold a comforter in half and put it under their sleeping bag.

4 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Hmm, well I guess if you want to spend the money on it then go for it.
Personally our kids have always been required to give up their rooms when guests come, and shack up with each other, sometimes with sleeping bags on the floor.
They've never complained about it, even as teens, but that's all they know. I guess it's just normal for them!

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

It seems painfully obvious to put both girls on the sofabed in the guestroom, and the couples each in the girls bedrooms with a "real" bed...

3 moms found this helpful
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D..

answers from Charlotte on

I think that $50 is worth keeping family harmony. It can be used for many things and folds up easily.

They certainly can tell their daughter no dice, that she can get over it and sleep with her sister, but for this low-cost alternative, she might be a lot nicer to the guests.

I'd tell her okay, but she has to agree to something to make up for it, like washing dishes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Something like that.

Dawn

3 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

so long as it's affordable and frees up space for the guests, any solution is fine with me. i like that the daughter who doesn't like the initial plan is at least pro-actively searching for workable solutions.
my boys just had to give up a bed and bunk together.
khairete
S.

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K.P.

answers from New York on

If the parents are fine with making the purchase, then go for it. It's not a huge investment and it will keep the peace. If they are not OK with it, then the girls need to be "adults" here and know that one week isn't the end of the world! It's a pretty reasonable solution.

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L.A.

answers from Austin on

I like to give guests their own room. Can you borrow an air mattress ? Everybody has them now. Let a sister sleep on it.

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C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

A.:

Welcome to mamapedia!!

As long as the one sleeping on it is happy - fine.

I hope there is a big enough hot water tank for 4 more adults.

personally? I would put one couple up at a hotel for the week. That's a HUGE increase in population in one home!!! But that's me.

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L.M.

answers from Chicago on

In fact my aunt is coming to stay tonight for a week and my daughters room is all set for her to stay in. My daughter will be on an air mattress on our bedroom floor (she is 6). She thinks it's exciting to sleep in our room on the mattress and has never complained.

That hammock looks extremely uncomfortable, IMO. I couldn't imagine sleeping on that thing - how would you even be able to move or turn over or something? Not for me, for sure. Plus, we've bought the air mattress to others houses if they are full or camping - many uses.

Of course, you give up your comfy bed for your visitors.

2 moms found this helpful

~.~.

answers from Tulsa on

If the parents want to spend the extra money on a hammock, then go ahead. Personally, I'd just spend money on an air mattress or make the daughters share. Is there a couch in the living room one of the girls could sleep on?

2 moms found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

If the teenage daughter wants to buy herself a hammock to sleep on, then fine. I wouldn't buy it for her. She should learn to make small sacrifices to make the family's guests comfortable. It is her parents home, not hers.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I have something like that for camping and use it every summer. I think it's a fine compromise. If she likes it, it's easy to keep the peace with it.

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Would it be set up in the other sister's room? If yes, I think its a great compromise.

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K..

answers from Phoenix on

So, where do the house guests that don't get a room keep their belongings? In the living room? I think it's common courtesy & good manners to have a room for the guests, if available, which they are.

It's only a short amount of time to make some concessions, and a great opportunity to teach the kids how to be hospitable. Or, you can let the kids control everything & buy a hammock that will probably not serve its intended purpose or be used again.

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P.G.

answers from Dallas on

I seriously doubt that this thing is comfortable. If they're going to spend any money, getting an inflatable bed is preferable. If the girls have to share a bed, they should get the biggest bed of all 3 rooms because they are giving up space to the guests. Or get an inflatable mattress that fits in one of the rooms and take turns on who gets the bed.

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H.P.

answers from Houston on

I think that if anybody who lives there all the time gives up a room, it should be voluntary, not forced. I would hate that someone could come to where I live and just take over my personal space--the only personal space that I have--and I have no say in it. I think that the solution that the teenager came up with is an excellent effort and should be honored. It's the least her parents can do, if they are kicking her out of her room. Otherwise, those guests had better check their food before they eat it.

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D.F.

answers from Boston on

Sorry but I would not give up my room or make my kids give up thier bed. I do not have a guest room. My brother comes to visit me time to time and he sleeps on the couch. His stuff is in the livingroom. Love him to death but not giving up my bed. Hotels around the corner.

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