More moms are finding support through communal living. More single moms and “sometimes” single moms are moving in with each other and finding support through communal living. One of the most quoted lines in support of this idea is “it takes a village.” More unmarried moms are having children. Women who have spent years as stay-at-home mothers are divorcing. These women are unable to afford a place to live and childcare so they are cohabiting with each other and creating a new style of living.
For many moms it isn’t just about finances, but about a sense of community and parenting. I’ve seen moms supporting each other while their husbands were deployed. Two wives moved in with each other and helped with mothering duties and running a household. Some of us didn’t live together, but we spent most of our time together. We planned every weekend with our friends and their kids in mind. There were always at least two or three families, sometimes more, at every dinner table. When we couldn’t spend holidays with our families, we spent them with our friends. They were the families we had created. Our kids respected the other moms just as they respected me. They enjoyed having other kids to play with and talk to while the dads were deployed.
Many single moms throughout the country are moving in together. They help each other out with childcare and meals. They parent together and their children learn about sibling relationships. It isn’t always easy, but for many it works out and helps relieve stress. CoAbode.com was created to help single moms find other single moms who need housing. This organization helps single moms come together not just for financial reasons, but to find a shared experience.
Would you live with another single mom and share parenting, housing and other responsibilities?
