by Marianne Graff, Published Tuesday April 9,2025
This catchy word describes an old concept of single Moms banding together to buy or rent a house to share for financial and emotional support reasons
What is a Mommune?
Mommunes are not a new idea, but they have been given this new name recently, a combination of ‘Moms’ and ‘communes’. The word captures the idea of living in community instead of just living as strangers under the same roof, like roommates.
‘Co-living’ is another common term for this type of lifestyle.
2. Interview
How can you start a Mommune?
The idea is that single moms choose to live together in a larger house, to cut down on living expenses and to share parenting tasks.
Sometimes, rather than share a house, a ‘Mommune’ is the term used to describe when single Moms choose to live as neighbours , or rent apartments in the same building, or find a place to live nearby each other, within easy walking distance.
How to Get Started
1. Ask Around / Advertise
Some Moms get the ball rolling by social media posts in parenting groups or by advertising in local news sources and in Facebook groups or other social media.
There is an interview process and selection process, to try to ensure a good fit amongst the parents and kids in terms of values and personalities and lifestyles. Some describe it as being like applying for a job!
Although sometimes friends simply decide to cut costs by moving into the same house, usually it doesn’t form by accident.
It is a form of intentional community. Some planning and lots of conversations will help it succeed.
3. Set ground rules and discuss how to live together and parenting approaches to resolving issues and conflicts. Set budget parameters out clearly in advance, and payment dates for bills and who will do what. You could make charts posted in a common area or inside a kitchen cupboard door to ensure transparency and fairness.
4.Establish communication routines. Some coops set out meeting times that are weekly or monthly checkins for discussing household matters.
Mommunes often set ground rules together in a formal way, and sometimes there is legal documentation about assets.
This is best discussed in the interview stage.
Reports by many indicate it’s a lifestyle and system that works really well.
One Mom described it as being in a sort of marriage without the romance. Others who are very liberal, add romance into the mix as well, living in polyamorous arrangements of all kinds.
What are the Benefits of Living in a Mommune?
From the videos posted online by people doing this to news reports about it, the following benefits were frequently mentioned:
- reduced living costs through splitting rent, internet, utilities, vehicles
- increased emotional support for parents
- increased social skills development opportunities for ‘lone kid’ families that resemble cousin or sibling relationships
- ability to learn how to be a good roommate with people who are not your immediate family
- lower expenses on household and car sharing insurance
- Increased free time as a result of taking turns doing weekly chores (e.g. yardwork,shovelling the driveway, cooking duties, housecleaning, cleaning and school commutes). This is helpful whether a single Mon works from home or has to work outside the home
A number of Moms interviewed said that while they started living in a Mommune for financial reasons, they quickly discovered that an even bigger benefit was the emotional support and comfort that can come from sharing a home with another parent.
This type of living arrangement would be particularly helpful to people who are vulnerable, as in those without strong extended family support. Many people live far from their hometown and family and financial hardship can make life extremely lonely.
When you are constantly strapped for cash and struggle to make ends meet all the time, social activities with friends and registering your child in classes and sports outside regular school activities goes out the window. When months of hardahip stretch into years, the children suffer severely in ways they can’t easily make up for later on in life.
What are the Downsides of Mommunes?
Some issues that arise are:
- personality conflicts and fights amongst the kids or pets
- value differences that make co-parenting challenging
- insurance claim issues in situations of damage or unexpected financial expenses if there is damage to something
- social stigma (people making assumptions or judgements about the situation)
Like living with roommates or living in a co-op situation, there can be personality conflicts, and disagreements about how certain tasks should be done, and problems if there is property damage.
Discussing and developing excellent communication and conflict resolution skills is essential, but not a hardship. It’s great practise for real life roommate situations.
Some Mommunes set out ‘code of ethics’ as well as legal property and asset rights. Others are more casual.
Some parents and kids might resent not hanging a house and space all to themselves, and having to share rooms, toys and furniture/entertainment devices like TVs or taking turns having access to a car.
Overall, I think the positives far outweigh any negatives.
Mommunes could be an ideal living arrangement for all ‘vulnerable’ people, not just single Moms, such as elderly people with health concerns and the need and want of company.
Multigenerational homes are another related topic.
Here are some good resources to check out for more information:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/12/realestate/single-mother-households-co-living.html