Cohousing-L Mailing List: Safety Hazards and Parenting Expectations in Cohousing

[Kathryn Lowry (kathryn.lowry]

Hello Cohousing friends,

I’d love to learn how other communities have approached a challenge we’re
facing at Daybreak Cohousing.

We have an accessible rooftop deck with a gate that separates the
reinforced portion of the roof (intended for community use) from a
non-reinforced portion that is unsafe. The gate is broken, and there’s
debate about whether the solution is to repair the gate/barrier or to
restrict children (and, in practice, families) from using the rooftop deck
entirely.

This has stirred up a larger tension we’ve felt in other contexts too:


   -

   Should safety hazards in common elements be addressed through structural
   fixes and hazard mitigation?
   -

   Or should the responsibility fall primarily on parents to keep children
   away, even when hazards are part of shared spaces?

For example, our guidelines currently say “keep children away from
[chemicals stored at floor level],” while product labels say “store out of
reach of children.” It feels like the same dynamic with the roof: are we
managing the hazard, or are we shifting responsibility onto parents?

I’m reaching out to hear how your community has handled similar situations.


   -

   Have you faced tension between structural hazard mitigation and
   parenting expectations?
   -

   What policies, practices, or cultural approaches have helped your
   community find balance?
   -

   Have you found effective ways to keep the focus on shared stewardship
   instead of individual parenting styles?

Any stories, lessons learned, or even “what didn’t work” would be
incredibly helpful.


With gratitude,

Kathryn Lowry

Daybreak Cohousing, Portland OR