Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Teens in Cohousing

[Bitner/Stevenson (lilbert]

Maryann Jones, my neighbor and friend, posted this and got no responses a 
little while ago. Since we were all somewhat occupied, I thought I might
give it another go and see if anyone would care to reply now. My husband
Roman is very involved with the teens now, and could use any wisdom you may
have, most particularly if you are in a community that has been built for
several years like ours. Thanks.
--
Liz Stevenson
Southside Park Cohousing
Sacramento, California

>
> I am interested in hearing about how other groups are handling their
> teens.  By teens, I mean the kids who are 11-16.  Cohousing appears to be
> a little hard on this group of kids.  We have a playground and well
> stocked room for the younger kids and really nothing for the older kids.
>
> We are currently on our second go-around with them.  When we moved in we
> had a large group (mostly boys) who have now all moved on.  Now we have a
> second large group (mostly girls).  We had a teen room when we started,
> but because of group dissatisfaction with the way the room was decorated
> and used we changed it to a general use room.  Now the teens are
> complaining that there is no space for them and nothing for them to do.
> Currently, they hang out on peoples porches or in the alley at the
> basketball hoop.  This is fine for the summer, but it is starting to cool
> off (at least some days are starting to be cooler) and it is going to be
> more difficult.
>
> I am interested in what facilities other groups have for their teens and
> how much the teens have used them.  How are the teens integrated into the
> population, or are they?  What do you do about neighborhood kids and the
> use of the common house with the cohousing kids?  Are neighborhood kids a
> problem?
>
> We do not have a work requirement for the kids, but some of the parents
> make their kids participate in their chores.  I always have my kids help
> with the meals.
>
> My interest in this is more than academic.  I am the parent of two of the
> teens in the group.  My teens are not very involved with the other teens,
> mostly because my daughter is on the young side of the other teens and my
> son is on the older side.  They are also very involved with their own
> activitites.  However, they do have some interaction with the others and I
> think that if there were facilities and activities they would participate.
>
> Anybody have experience?
>
> Maryann Jones
> Southside Park Cohousing
>
>
>