Our family was growing. A thrilling second pregnancy for Patricia was here, but our shared multi-generational home/office combination assumed Ben would be an only child. There was only one small child’s bedroom for Patricia’s family where any noise wouldn’t wake the grandparents before the parents!
But trading sides would mean lots of upheaval, and expense, just when we were all starting to feel settled in. After 30 years in their part of the house, Ed and Priscilla would have to downsize and completely re-organize. And we both liked our own space better.
None of us was ready for that much disruption. And the budgeting and legal parts would need a major overhaul too – dividing expenses and inheritance plans changes would needed … again.
Looking for alternatives, we found some truly amazing bunk beds. The kids might even get their own separate play/study nooks. A small, carefully-planned room would surely make sharing second nature for them.
So a new plan emerged. The baby would sleep in a bassinet with his parents 6-10 months. By then he would mostly sleep all night, right? Ben’s room could fit both a crib and a toddler bed, so why borrow trouble by assuming the baby would wake Ben?
Some compromises, like buying a state-of-the-art bunk bed, seem affordable compared with the alternatives. Like ours, your plans for your future should be reviewed regularly to keep up with family changes, big and small. To review your own multigenerational plans, please call our office at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. ©2012 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.