Who sleeps where?

[2long]

Over the years I have noticed a huge disparity between Thais and us westerners about who sleeps in which room and with whom.

Many wealthy Thai parents will encourage/force their kids to sleep with them (same room and sometimes the same bed), claiming that it saves electricity on the air conditioning... although the have plenty of money, several German cars, and domestic staff. I totally understand that if the family live in a small apartment, then sleeping together is the only option.

Back in the UK, it's normal for a new baby to be given its own room as soon as possible, in order for the baby to get used to sleeping away from the parents. But here even teenagers and young adults still sleep with the parents! For us, that's just weird.

As a western guy with a Thai wife and kids, I quite enjoy the peaceful sleep I get on the nights when wifey sleeps with little one. But on other nights little one sometimes has a bad dream and comes in to sleep with us.

So, come on... with such a culture difference, how do you western parents deal with the family sleeping habits, and have you adapted?