My children share a bathroom. The fact that they have a bathroom and we have a separate bathroom is something of a treat for us...We moved from a little farmhouse that had only one full bathroom, which was tiny. So tiny, in fact, that when I was pregnant, my husband and I couldn't both be in the bathroom at the same time!
A couple of years ago, we were able to do some much-needed remodeling of the kids' bathroom. When we moved in, there were two sinks in this bathroom. We opted to increase the counter space and save a bit of money by putting only one sink in during the remodel. Since we have a boy and and a girl, they are not often in there at the same time, so it seemed the most practical solution.
I didn't realize some of the hidden benefits of only one sink when we made that decision. Certainly, it saves some time and hassle on bathroom-cleaning day. The larger countertop looks nice, and gives me a place to put a few cute knick-knacks at Christmas time.
The biggest blessing, though, became apparent tonight. My son called me into his room to tell me that his sister's sink habits were becoming a problem. He shared serveral complaints. The biggest problem? "There is so much hair in the sink, Mom!" When he was finished, I told him that I understood his frustration and that I would certainly follow up on some of his concerns. About the hair, though..."Have you talked with your sister about that," I asked. "Noooooo," came the sheepish response.
So, we chatted about ways to approach his sister about yucky hair in the sink. It's good practice for dealing with a college roommate's loud music, or a problem with a co-worker or a boss. It was a teachable moment.
Thank goodness for only one sink.
