Exclusive space for one age group
From: Fred H Olson -- WB0YQM (FRED%JWHvx.cis.umn.edu)
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 12:46 CST
Exclusive space for one age group
 
A little controversy may help stimulate some discussion here so I
thought I'd borrow some from Winslow.
 
The Special Report article includes  the following:
 
  "Tempers also flared briefly over the issue of a teen lounge.  Resident
   teenagers wanted a space in the Commonhouse  to escape adults and play
   music.  One member objected. She thought a room exclusive for one age
   was contrary to Winslow's spirit.  Thanks to the community's special
   rule -- decision by consensus -- her refusal scotched the idea."
 
  "Says 15 year old Ty Moore, "We really wanted that room."  Eventually
   they arrived at a compromise: the teenagers were allowed to have
   scheduled, if not spontaneous, use of the commons-area playroom by
   installing a partition."
 
I don't see why the teenagers shouldn't have their own room - assuming
one is available and their numbers and competing needs permitted.
Some minimal adult oversight would be in order and I'd expect teenagers
to participate in broader aspects of the community as well.
 
The idea of cohousing is not to homogenize individuals and subgroups.
In fact I would argue that one of the strengths of cohousing is the
balance that allows for the development of individuals, families
and by extension subgroups all of whom also work for the good of
the community too.
 
I remember an aspect of the collective household that we lived in about
16 years ago that I disliked that is relavant here.  It seemed to me that
the emphasis on sharing a common evening meal and related dynamics
was so great that it made it difficult to maintain relationships outside
the house.  I felt that there was pressure to include the rest of the
household when I wanted to get together with friends from outside.
Particularly if these friends were also friends of other household
members.  It was tho 'we all do it together or we dont do it at all'.
 
Fred  (Internet: fred%jwh [at] vx.cis.umn.edu)
I remem
 
 
 

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