As the number of single parents increases in France, some single mothers decide to help each other by founding “mommunes”. Focus on this movement, which is starting to gain momentum in France, but also in the United States.
Living with several people in the same household
Paying your bills and raising your child as a single mother is not easy.
Beyond the financial difficulties encountered (45% of children living with a single mother are in poverty, compared to only 22% for those who live with their father according to a study conducted by INSEE, editor’s note), is often accompanied by a lack of emotional support and psychological distress.
How can we cope, then, with parental and domestic responsibilities in this situation? Some single mothers seem to have found the solution – by co-habiting. In other words, by integrating a “mommune” (contraction of the words “mom” and “commune”) or “common mothers“.
The idea here? Living with several people in the same household – with 2, 3, 4 mothers or even more, depending on the size of the house and/or the wishes of the mother/child duos – in order to overcome the difficulties linked to single parenthood (childcare , rent, cleaning, cooking, etc.).
Thanks to this organization, financial difficulties are reduced (the rent is shared between the different mothers); which allows young mothers to regain purchasing power and thus provide for the needs of their family (extra-curricular activities, care, etc.).
Groceries can also be shared. In the current context of inflation, this practice allows children and young mothers to eat a balanced diet.
Mothers also have, if the land allows it, the possibility of creating “vegetable garden areas and/or common farms“, as Laura Cooper, founder of the “Freedom Georgia” community, explains to the Parents.com website.
A lifestyle that appeals to Internet users
On social networks, the hashtag #mommune is a hit. And for good reason: it generates millions of views, proof of Internet users’ interest in this atypical lifestyle.
Kristin Batykefer, an American mother of two young children, saw her number of views explode (more than 1 million on TikTok) after posting a video in which she explains the advantages offered by “mommune”.
In particular, she tells how, when she is sick, other mothers take care of her and prepare her homemade cookies and soup… while taking care of her daughter.
What to dream of?
