Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: parents and kids in cohousing

[Rob Sandelin (Exchange) (Robsan]

A couple of years ago I wrote an article for the Eastside parents, a monthly 
newspaper for parents.  The main themes I covered were: 
1. How great it is to live in a place where all the adults look after the 
kids
2. How great it is to be an adult with no kids and have access to them.
3. Kids get major benefits from having non-related adults to learn from and 
to have as friends
4. Cohousing kids learn cooperation and conflict resolution from their 
parents in community and then apply those learnings in the world. 
5. How nice it is to have a bunch of other parents to talk to about raising 
kids and commiserate with.

I would also add in addition:
Parenting in cohousing means you don't need to have a second kid just to 
have a sibling for the first - lots of sibling relationships in cohousing 
neighborhoods.
Home-schooling opportunities are marvelous in cohousing 
Childcare is easy
Community can buffer relationship problems between parents.

Examples of each available upon request.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood




-----Original Message-----
From:   pmanley [at] teleport.com 
Sent:   Tuesday, January 02, 1996 9:23 AM
Subject:        parents and kids in cohousing

Attention parents and kids:

I am writing a short article about cohousing for a local parenting magazine
(in Portland, Oregon). Our local cohousing community (Cascadia Commons) is
still in the talking stages and I would like to get some perspectives from
parents and/or kids who are living in cohousing.

Would any of you parents and/or kids out there be able to make a few
comments about the benefits of cohousing?

Any down side?

Any specifics about your own experience...
As a parent (or as a kid...) how is living in cohousing different from
living in your previous housing situation?

Thanks very much!

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Paula Manley
Tualatin Valley Community Access
1815 NW 169th Place, Suite 6020
Beaverton OR 97006

(503) 629-8534 x105 Voice