Four single mothers have come together in Washington DC to purchase a home and transform their lives. This unique living arrangement involves sharing chores, expenses, and even providing assistance with babysitting and dog-walking. While many people build their lives around their romantic partners, these women are challenging societal norms by prioritizing their friendships. Buying a home, once seen as a middle-class aspiration, has become an elusive dream for most individuals. By redefining the traditional concepts of family and child-rearing, these four women are setting an inspiring example for others who are seeking happiness outside of conventional living situations.
Holly Harper and Herrin Hopper, who were close friends, had often joked about living together in Vermont. However, it was merely a whimsical idea as they were both married at the time. However, after going through divorces, they decided to take their joke more seriously and enlisted the help of two other single women, Jen and Leandra, to purchase a four-unit home. They were pleasantly surprised to find the perfect house within a weekend. Pooling their resources together has provided them with a comfortable lifestyle that extends not only to themselves but also to their children. Through shared expenses, they have managed to save money and unlock the power of sharing, resulting in a sense of abundance.
The children, aged between 9 and 14, are benefiting greatly from this unconventional living arrangement. They now view each other as cousins, and their experience challenges traditional notions of family. The setup also sheds light on various topics such as dating, marriage, divorce, and sexual orientation. By prioritizing their happiness over societal expectations, these women have created a nurturing environment for their children. With access to amenities like a trampoline, parkour line, garden, gym, and craft studio, the kids feel like they are in a perpetual summer camp.
Sharing not only expenses but also responsibilities such as babysitting and dog-walking has allowed the four women to better manage their time and resources. Harper estimates that she saves around $30,000 per year as a result. Daily life in their shared home involves a fair amount of unplanned exchanges and frequent homeowners’ meetings held over a bottle of champagne. The fact that they live with other women significantly lightens the household burdens, fostering a sense of relief and camaraderie among them.
The most cherished aspects of their living arrangement are safety and happiness. Harper describes it as a spiritual safety net, where she can be her true self without judgment. Their ultimate goal is not to attain a constant state of happiness but to create an environment where they can pursue happiness in every moment. This pursuit of happiness, a fundamental right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, challenges traditional notions of marriage, partnership, and family, but it presents an alternative path worth considering in the quest for personal fulfillment.
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