Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Giving or Taking & childcare

[Berrins (Berrins]

In a message dated 10/2/01 10:04:39 AM, sharon [at] sharonvillines.com writes:

<< > At the meeting they would pass around a donation box and anyone who
> voluntarily wanted to contribute to the child care could.  The parents of
> the kids would split the balance owed after the donations.

As a parent, I would feel very odd having to split the leavings. And as a
contributor, I'm one of those people who feels obligated to contribute so I
prefer some standardized way of dealing with this. >>


I belive Sharon was taking about Pathways (Hi Sharon!).  I'm one of those 
parents who had to "split the leavings" when my younger daughter was, well, 
younger.  It didn't bother me a bit.  People without kids at the meeting give 
whatever they feel comfortable giving, with no obligation; they can give 
nothing for no reason at all, with no guilt attached.  We never thought about 
making child care a line item in our budget because this system has always 
seemed to work.  

On the other hand, we do have line items in our budget for "equipment" for 
both younger children and the "middles," including playground equipment.   So 
apparently we feel the community should pay for material items for children 
but not services for the parents.  Go figure.  

Roger Berman
Pathways Cohousing
Northampton, MA
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