Mommunes: Cohabitating Single Moms

What would the world be like if all the single moms out there simply moved in together to share the tasks of child-rearing, housekeeping, and working?

Photo courtesy SheKnows.com

This is the idea explored by a recent article by Amy Levin Epstein I discovered at the parenting help-site Babble.com. The article describes the trials and experiences of women who, upon feeling stressed by the demands of single-parenthood, decided to share housing with other women in the same situation as roommates. The story reports that these women found some very positive synergy in living with women who understood the demands of parenting and who they felt comfortable sharing child-rearing energy with.

The idea of shared parenting is not a new one. Rural societies, Jewish kibbutzim, and other systems have often provided cultural standards that embraced the idea of shared parenting. The commitment to the "nuclear family" as the gold-standard for parenting is truly a fairly recent phenomenon.

According to our textbook (Social Problems, 10th ed. - Coleman & Kerbo), the rising frequency of single-parent families is one of the most significant trends among U.S. families today. Statistically, the frequency of single-parent households has risen from 11% in 1970 to about 28% in 2004. Of these single-parent households, more than 80% are headed by women.

So, is it feasible to move away from the standard of one biological-set per household and collapse many families into a single space? If people can accept the stigma of not achieving that ideal of a white-picket fence and the "supermom" (or "superdad") who can simultaneously be an earner, teacher, medic, counselor, disciplinarian, and friend to their kid(s), then this new form of blended families could really take off - especially during this economic climate of prolonged recession.