Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Thanks for your letter. It sounds like you're going through some big changes at home at the moment. It’s natural to have some worries about what things will be like in your new house. Having had your own room and your own space can be a great thing and it can be hard to imagine having to share that space with someone else.

Perhaps it would be helpful for you to think about what’s most important to you when you are in your room. Do you need time to do your homework in your room, for example. Or do you want some privacy so you can just be on your own, listen to your music or spend time with your friends? None of those things are unreasonable but you might need to compromise a bit more than usual to make them happen. For example, you could make some private space by hanging a curtain around your bed, instead of having the whole room to yourself. Maybe you could write down all the things that most worry you about sharing a room with your sister. Then you and the adult/s in your house and your sister can all sit down and try to agree some rules about how you two will share your room. Remember, though, that your little sister will have her own needs and wants too so it’s important to try and be fair. Being fair isn't always easy when you feel you have to give something up, but the clearer you are about what’s going to happen when you start sharing, the more you can try to enjoy this time.

You could also try asking for some support from other young people on our message boards. I'm guessing some of them have got experience of sharing a bedroom, and they might have some useful suggestions.

You haven't talked about why you are moving house, and whether there are any other changes in your life. If you wanted to talk about any of this with a ChildLine counsellor, you'd be more than welcome to do that. You can give them a call on 0800 1111, or log in for a 1-2-1 chat.

I hope that helps. Good luck!

Sam