About this episode

This episode explores the concept of 'mummunes', where mothers live together to share the responsibilities of raising children.

Have you ever fantasised about raising kids with your bestie? Well, some women are doing it for real. And these mum communes or ‘mummunes’ don’t look like your average share house. These women are sharing a roof, chores, bills and the mental load of raising their kids. For some, it’s the antidote to a nuclear family structure that left them drained and resentful. For others, it’s a handy, albeit overcrowded solution to the struggles of single motherhood. Yumi Stynes speaks to women who are rewriting the rules of motherhood and finds out what there is to gain when you challenge the status quo. This episode will answer questions like: Can you raise children with your best friend? Should you raise children with a romantic partner? Why do women feel burnt out as wives and mothers? Has the nuclear family become outdated for women? Do you need men to raise kids? What are the challenges of raising kids with your best friend? How do communal living arrangements deal with money? How does dating work in a mummune? Why do women initiate household and child care more than men? What to listen to next: Are you mum or grandma? Having a baby at 47 The women who've never had sex One true love or…

People in this episode

Host: Yumi Stynes

Topics covered

• motherhood
• communal living
• single motherhood
• friendship
• family structure
• mental load

Keywords

• mummunes
• raising kids
• communal living
• single motherhood
• nuclear family
• mental load
• friendship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ABC Australia

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