Are you a “living room family” or a “bedroom family”?

Do you know the “living room” and “bedroom” families? On TikTok, this phenomenon refers to two very distinct types of family dynamics: on the one hand, those found in a common space such as the living room; on the other, those where each member spends the majority of their time in separate rooms, such as bedrooms. Decryption.

“Living room” vs. “bedroom” families: what are the differences?

While this concept may make you smile, it nevertheless raises serious questions about family intimacy. Who has never been kindly sent to their room so that “mom and dad can have a quiet dinner”? Many of us, probably.

But according to some TikTokers, being locked in your room is not always a simple incident: for some, it is a real way of life, where each member of the family devotes themselves to their activities in a separate room.

A content creator known as @lacroix_goth says her mother used to serve her a meal tray in her room, making her feel like a “prisoner.”I remember my mother saying to me: ‘Please leave us alone‘”, she explains, adding that her mother considered her more as an autonomous adult rather than as a child with emotional needs. Even more surprising, she confides having had to cook and feed herself “from the age of 6 years”.

Another striking testimony, @enigmatic_actuality7 remembers growing up in a “bedroom family” and “never feeling safe” anywhere else in the house. “I was almost always relegated to my room“, she says. “I wasn’t taking my stuff anywhere.” A way of life far removed from that of “living room families”, where living together is in the spotlight.

“Living room” families: a model to follow?

According to the media Parentsmany believe that it is beneficial to grow up in a “living room family.” Indeed, accepting the disorder (and the turbulence generated by children) would be considered “healthy”. Children have access to common areas in the same way as adults.

“A place that is too tidy can seem lacking in life and generate anxiety in children. It is therefore essential to find a happy medium and leave a minimum of freedom to everyone.“, explained Véronique Lebon, storage and organization coach, during a previous interview. This balance aims to meet the needs of each member of the family, parents included: the art of tidying thus becomes an art of living, providing certain serenity.

Ultimately, the idea is to give the child guidelines, so that he knows where to find his things, while allowing him a certain freedom. There is therefore no need to be alarmed if yet another toy has slipped under the sofa…