Cohousing-L Mailing List: Significant others not interested in Cohousing

[The Fertile Zone (fertilezone]

In our case, the significant male is interested in co-housing --and
contributes the lower income--, while the female is not impressed,
without a model home to compare or shop as it were.

We took a tour of a co-housing site in the Seattle area and viewed their
plans for new construction, half of these units were already assigned to
interested buyers.

Me the male, is very comfortable with the co-housing concept, partly
because of the benefits for transient-nuclear parents, who may bring
kids into the world far from the support of their extended families.

On the other hand, my significant other is a perfect specimen from the
model ties of a large-nuclear family, and points to the fact that moving
us back in close proximity to her family makes more sense, to her, than
co-housing.

As we talked with the residents, about their community, the concepts of
a common house and community driven developments, my wifes eyes started
to gloss over, and I noticed her characteristic silence and politely
tolerant posture.  Their was no detectable enthusiasm in my wifes voice,
but a few heads did hang low, and their were some reciprocating giggles
from the residents we spoke with.

The existing construction on the common house, and grounds was somewhat
dated, and when we left, my wife burst into amusement that "we would
live in the commune."  I couldn't diffuse her use of "commune" or her
amusement.

I don't think my wife gets it, and I don't know how influential I can
be, especially without the model home she expects to accompany this kind
of decision.
 
Your avid co-housing dreamer
Roger Ruhle


The Fertile Zone
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/4726/
Natural Familily Planning doesn't get any simpler.