Single Moms and Best Friends Decided to Live Together to Raise Their Kids and Found Their Happily Ever After

Two single mothers, Lauren and Samantha, have opened up about their decision to share a home to save money and how it impacts their dating lives.

Meet Samantha and Lauren.

When Samantha Best and Lauren Robinson found themselves navigating the challenges of single motherhood, they opted to move in together to alleviate the rising costs of living.

The decision was made in May 2022. Samantha, a social media influencer, found herself struggling as a single mother after separating from her partner. Realizing the difficulty of providing for her son, Kaelin, she made the decision to move in with her best friend, Lauren, who was also a single mother to Haidyn. The close-knit duo admits that their bond has only strengthened since.

How the new arrangement works.

While they acknowledge occasional challenges, the benefits of co-parenting as best friends far outweigh any difficulties. Since cohabiting, the two single mothers have successfully managed their finances collaboratively, enjoying shared family activities. “Stay-in” nights watching TV have become a shared pleasure, and they’ve observed positive changes in their children’s interactions and development.

In terms of household responsibilities, Lauren takes on the role of chef, while Samantha handles most of the dishwashing. They maintain separate lives but assist each other with school pickups, grocery shopping, and babysitting when needed.

Samantha happily acknowledges that she lives with her best friends, and both their kids now have a sibling figure for each other. Despite the initial challenges of ending a five-year relationship with Kaelin’s father, Samantha, and her ex-partner have established a healthy co-parenting relationship.

Their desire to inspire others.

Apart from the financial advantages, the companionship is a significant highlight for Samantha. Being a single mom can be lonely, especially after moving to a new city without many local friends. The mutual support, shared moments, and the comfort of having someone to talk to make the living arrangement invaluable.

Both moms acknowledge that living with each other’s children feels akin to being stepparents. They share disciplinary roles, setting boundaries and ensuring the children’s well-being. The initial phase involved understanding each other’s parenting boundaries, but now they jointly parent both children, emphasizing similar morals in upbringing. Samantha hopes their story inspires other single parents to consider living with a friend for mutual support, providing a better life for single moms.

Their dating life hasn’t changed.

Both Samantha and Lauren are taking some time to work on themselves after they both split with their partners. Now, their primary focus remains on their children and careers, but both women are open to the idea of meeting someone new. They joke that a boyfriend can move in or, alternatively, they’ll be neighbors.

Some people also frequently ask if both ladies are a couple, which they deny. Samantha and Lauren assert they are just best friends.

Single moms who live together is becoming a common scenario.

Similar to Samantha and Laures, more and more single moms are deciding to live together. And this movement already has its own name, “mommunes”. According to the BBC, “mommunes,” a word derived from “communes,” are emerging as an alternative living arrangement in response to the changing dynamics of traditional nuclear families.

Presently, there are approximately 15 million single mothers in the United States. Many of them face challenges such as the inability to purchase a home or the constraint of time due to work commitments to support their families. In response to these challenges, a growing number of single mothers in the U.S. and globally are adopting a fresh perspective on life. Instead of navigating the complexities of raising a family alone, they are turning to close friends and fellow single mothers who are willing to share the responsibilities.