Live in a building with a large garden? A dream for many single moms. These 4 mothers have joined forces to create this new version of the blended family!
Holly Harper and Herrin Hopper share the same initials and a lifelong friendship. The first is a fairly extroverted entrepreneur and coach, the second, a more reserved miniature craftswoman. Shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic, the two friends, who live on the outskirts of Washington, divorced their respective spouses and found themselves juggling between the life of a single mom and their job. The fate even seems to go against Holly, who loses her father at the same time. During this period of heavy upheaval, a strange idea germinated in their minds: why not live together?
“We had often talked about the difficulty of raising children and educating them properly. We also often joked that it would be easier if everyone lived under the same roof. And since we were kind of at the end of our lives, we thought, ‘Why not do it now?'”recalls Herrin. “For me, it’s like my life has been reduced to ashes, says Holly. So I said to Herrin, ‘I literally have nothing left, let’s do it!'”
In one weekend, they find the ideal home
The two single mothers then set out to find accommodation in the region and, “in a weekend”, set their sights on a large mansion located in Takoma Park, Maryland. To balance the cost of credit of this house divided into four separate apartments, they pass an ad to find two roommates to the same profile. A mother, Leandra Nicholas, a local fitness coach, thus becomes the third occupant of the premises. The fourth, Jen Jacobsis a friend from Washington who adheres to this project whose watchword is sharing.
“The House of Mermaids”as the mothers called it, is now complete and welcomes five children aged 14 to 9, in a permanent summer camp atmosphere. “We have each our living spaces, with separate bedrooms, living room and kitchen, but also common areas. It is a paradise for children who have a garden with a trampoline, a gym and even a big screen for movie nights, says Holly. They are growing up and having fun together, they are delighted!”
Expenses, cars, homework tracking, everything is shared!
This “shared house” solution also has advantages for adults, who help and support each other. In the lively and joyful house, the mothers share the expenses, the cars, the monitoring of homework, the chores but above all the little pleasures of everyday life. Holly testifies: “Our goal was to create an environment where we would be safe, to be able to grasp ‘happiness at all times.'” Goal achieved. For this quartet of united women, the music of the world is now that of serenity.
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