Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Children in Community

[Joyce Cheney (jcheneyjc]

We haven’t had generation-clash problems in the ten yrs I’ve lived at Casa 
Verde, so this is a one- senior answer, not a community answer. Here are two 
suggestions:
1. Make it clear to the kids zooming around the sidewalks on scooters, bikes 
etc, that seniors have right of way; that is, the kids need to slow down and 
move over when they encounter seniors on the walkways. 
2. Have quiet hours for all ages- no loud music/conversation/play after (x hr).
3. Kids are not allowed in the Common House without an adult. 
-Jc


Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 1, 2026, at 4:38 PM, Katherine Lavine via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l 
> [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> Bikes left blocking the path (tripping hazard), kids climbing on counters or 
> other places deemed unsafe (or unhygenic), running thru common house during 
> meals at high volume, and the difficult-to-untangle “lack of respect” when 
> spoken to. Tip of the iceberg topics.
> 
> We made an attempt to establish norms for the common house that would involve 
> kids and adults equally , but some parents were not in favor. There are 
> (understandably) different parenting styles and norms amongst our families. 
> Not a unified front, which makes agreements challenging.
> 
> There are expectations from some older members that parents should keep their 
> kids “in check”. Many feel unskilled in giving kids direct feedback.
> 
> We believe “connecting before correcting” is important and attempted to use 
> time in general meetings for educational minutes to facilitate multi gen 
> understanding, but found it difficult to find good info to share and not 
> burnout the organizers of that idea. Would love ideas for that kind of thing. 
> Not just how to talk to the kids, but also understanding all age groups needs.
> 
> Katherine Lavine
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Aug 1, 2026, at 3:15 PM, Buzz Harris via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
>> cohousing.org> wrote:
>> 
>>  Hi Katherine.
>> 
>> What are the specific issues that are generating conflict, if you don't mind 
>> sharing that?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Buzz
>> Mosaic Commons Cohousing
>> Berlin, MA
>> 
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> 
>> Buzz Harris
>> 
>> 
>> What used to be called liberal is now called radical,
>> What used to be called radical is now called insane,
>> What used to be called reactionary is now called moderate, and
>> What used to be called insane is now called solid conservative thinking.
>> 
>> -Tony Kushner
>> 
>> 
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> 
>> 
>>    On Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 05:01:57 PM EDT, Katherine via Cohousing-L 
>> <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:  
>> 
>> We are looking for helpful resources regarding growing our ability to 
>> navigate a “multi-gen” community.
>> 
>> We are currently exploring ways to reduce friction between older adults and 
>> our free range children. It’s a Common problem, we know. (One of the three 
>> Ps- parking, pets and parenting)
>> 
>> What has your community found to be useful  to widen understanding and 
>> promote peaceful coexistence amidst differing needs?
>> 
>> Thanks in advance.
>> 
>> Katherine Lavine
>> 
>> 
>> 
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