Although being a single mom may be difficult, there are ways to get through it and come out successful on the other end. That is what four single moms wanted to do and they decided to change their lives for their own benefit and for the benefit of the children.
Holly Harper and Herrin Hopper were two mothers who thought about moving in with each other and living in Vermont. They would buy a house together and raise their kids but after they both went through a divorce, they found themselves actually considering it more seriously.
That is when the pandemic showed up. They knew that they were going to struggle to get by as single parents and it would be difficult to move from one place to another once we were all stuck in place.
That is when Holly had the idea, why don’t they just go ahead and do it? Within a weekend, they located a house in Maryland and it became a shared home.
Holly had recently turned 40 and gone through a divorce and she was also grieving over the loss of her father. She said: “It felt like my life had been completely turned upside down. I could turn to Herrin and say, ‘I literally have nothing left. Let’s just go for it.’”
After the two mothers moved in together in Maryland, they decided to open their doors and allow others in. Leandra, another single mother rented out the basement. It wasn’t long before a friend of theirs, Jen moved in.
There are now four single mothers living together under the same roof and they had a very nice community going. Herrin said, “It’s like there’s a spiritual safety net here every day. I can be my worst self or my best self, and they see me for who I am, and that’s okay.”
They also felt very safe in their home and could rely on each other for child care so they can take a break on occasion. It was a relief for all of them knowing that somebody would be nearby to help.
Holly said: “There’s always someone to play a game with. It’s just the most fun.”
Although the kids come from different families, they are growing up like cousins. It’s a lot of fun but it is also a living arrangement that works well for everyone.
You can see more about it in this video: