when did your children choose to leave the family bed?

[July09Mama]

My dd is only almost 6 months old, so I'm sure I have quite a while left, but I was just wondering when most children who are allowed to co-sleep as long as they want choose to move to their own bed. Right now we have a one bedroom apartment with our mattress on the floor and a crib mattress on the floor on the other side of the room that we use as a lounging/reading area (it was a gift or we wouldn't have gotten one at all).
DD is welcome to stay in our bed as long as she wants; I love sleeping cuddled up next to her! But I'm sure the time will someday come when she wants her own space and when that time does come, we'll need to move, so some idea of when that will likely be would be nice. Thanks!

[Peony]

My oldest and middle child still co-sleep, they are 7 and 3. However, starting around age 3 or so, they have really enjoyed having their own space to play in. Neither one has an official bedroom right now, we have two sleeping rooms, and then one bedroom is a private playroom (we have another playroom by the living room) where DD1 can go in with her friends and close the door to be away from pesky little siblings.

[saphire]

The four of us co-slept until they were 6 and 3, then my 6 yo was ready to go to her own bed, in her own room. It was her choice. Now that tiny little 3yo is 7, going on 8 next month. She will fall asleep in her bed, ( starting around 5yo) but she still comes and gets into bed with us. I was just coming here to see if she will ever decide to stay in her bed!
Even though we co-slept for a long time, and I'd like dd2 to stay in her bed at night ( she is being a little disruptive) I am so happy we shared sleep for so long.

[TinyMama]

My DD was done around 15mo. We were spending a summer in a place where we only had a double bed, so it was more squished than normal. She started asking for her crib at bedtime. She goes through stretches of coming in with us in the middle of the night, but otherwise she prefers her own space. (FTR, I was a little sad.)

[sunnmama]

Our dd will be 9 next month, and not yet! Our 3 yo also cosleeps, so it is cozy

We have a 2 bedroom apt for the 4 of us. My 3 yo would not yet need his own space, but my older child likes having her own room to get some space from the rest of the family (read, do homework, play, etc). I guess that change happened around age 4 for her.

eta--another reason for an extra room: some privacy for dh and me! When the kids are sleeping in our room, we can use the other room. This is important (for us) as the littles grow from babies to kids, kwim?

[rockymtnmama]

I am not sure my children would have ever chosen to sleep in their own beds without some encouragement from me. They started sleeping in their own room (bunk beds) when they were 4 and 6. They are now 8 and 10 and until last week still slept in a room together. They are just now starting to want their own space for sleeping, even though they have had their own rooms/beds for over a year now.

They still end up in my bed at some point during the night, several times a week. I am really working with my 10 year old right now to encourage him stay in his own bed, he's just SO big now, I can't sleep if he's in bed with me!

[ssh]

My DD decided she wanted to sleep in her own bed a week after turning 4. She had gotten a new night light that was too bright for our room and a horse pillow. We didn't do anything to encourage the move, it just happened. She's only been back in our bed 3 times. If she wakes during the night she still prefers her bed and room.