Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: What happens when kids who grew up in cohousing move to...

[Jessie Kome (jehako]

Hi-

My daughter Georgia went from growing up in cohousing (Eno Commons and Eastern 
Village Cohousing) to living in a dorm to living in a group house at college to 
living in a group apartment for her first job. She learned communication and 
consensus skills growing up, honed them in college and actually got paid by the 
university (as an undergrad) for helping facilitate a series of seminars on 
tough topics (like religion and diversity). She helped out as a moderator of a 
panel at the cohousing conference in DC and got good reviews. Although she was 
extremely eager to move off to college and on to live independently, when 
asked, she says she appreciates growing up in cohousing and she has told us we 
do not have her permission to ever sell our unit. I don’t think she wants to 
live here now, but she has her own friends in the community (older and younger) 
and I wouldn’t rule out her wanting to return someday - or maybe help start 
another community.

One of the other kids who grew up in and around Eno Commons just moved in a 
couple of blocks from us with her partner. They come over all the time, pitch 
in here and there and have even asked about how we feel about associate 
members. It is a special joy to have a person you have known almost all her 
life grow up to be a friend. Hard to imagine that happening outside of family, 
church, or cohousing.

Our son (20) is still home because of health reasons. The community is great 
for him and he has recently volunteered to help manage our guest room 
reservations. He house and pet sits for neighbors and is still considered 
almost a kid by the kids. We talk about a path forward for him, and he says he 
doesn’t feel a strong need to leave to get the space to grow up. All that to 
say, people’s paths vary.

Jessie Handforth Kome
Eastern Village Cohousing
“Where the kids are forming their own government."