The question of whether or not children should share rooms came up on my Web site the other day, causing me to realize that in 31-plus years of writing this column, I have never touched upon the subject. As it happens, I'm still not going to more than lightly touch upon it because the parents who chimed in to the ensuing discussion really said it all. I'm just going to give the floor to them and take a break.

One Florida mom related that she happened upon the advantages of room sharing courtesy of her son, now 2. When he was born, his older sister, now 4, moved to a toddler bed and he took the crib. The family then relocated to a bigger house, and eventually both children were sleeping in regular beds with trundle beds under them.

"Night after night," Mom writes, "when I checked on the kids I would find my son sleeping on the floor in his sister's room. So, I started putting him in her trundle bed and now he always sleeps there or even in bed with her. Although they sometimes have their moments (don't all siblings?), my kids rarely fight or rough-house with each other. I teach them to be respectful of one another and make them kiss and apologize if they argue or get too rough. I see how disrespectfully so many other siblings treat each other, and I think I don't have that problem because my kids share a room."

Another mom chimed in about her three room-sharing sons, ages 3, 8, and 10. "They play together, share, and take care of each other. They really are the best of friends." When it comes to chores, the older brothers help the 3-year-old make his bed and put away his laundry. They also help him get dressed in the morning and take a bath at night. Despite their age differences, they play together well and the oldest often reads to the youngest. (Every parent who contributed to this discussion mentioned how cooperatively room-sharing children work together, even when there is a significant age difference.) When will this arrangement come to an end? Perhaps never.

Mom says, "One time I told the oldest boy that when the oldest child, a girl, leaves home, he'll get his own room. His voice got a bit shaky and he said, 'But I want to stay with my brothers.' "

"I think sharing rooms, toys, clothes, and chores causes children to invest in each other," wrote yet another mom, "and when you invest a part of yourself into something, you value it more. Sharing rooms has had a positive impact upon the relationship my children have with one another."

As I've said before, the more material things a child has, the more possessive and territorial the child becomes. So, if you have two children sharing a room, buy just enough playthings for the room instead of buying two sets of playthings.

When the discussion had run its course, it was unanimous: if you want your kids to enjoy a relationship that is not characterized by jealousy and conflict and to work together cooperatively then room-sharing is the ticket.

Family psychologist John Rosemond answers parents' questions on his Web site at www.rosemond.com.