When she became a single mum, Jen made a promise to herself: she was not going to live a smaller, harder life just because a relationship had ended. Years later, that promise turned into a "mommune" — a shared home in New York City with her best friend Annabelle, also a single mum, where they split rent, share dinners, divide the mental load of parenting, and raise their kids as one family unit. No romantic partners live in the house. No calendars or chore charts either. Just two women who decided that trust, presence and showing up for each other beats waiting around for a man to do it.


In this conversation, Jen unpacks how the mommune actually started (hint: it wasn't a business decision, it was years of shared play dates and swapped babysitting), how she and Annabelle split money and domestic labour without ever discussing finances directly, how dating still fits into her life without ever entering the home, and why she believes isolation, not money, is often the real crisis facing single mums.


This episode is for anyone who has ever sat alone on a Friday night after the kids are asleep and wondered if there's another way to build a home, a family and a life that doesn't hinge on finding "the one."


In this episode:



How a years-long friendship turned into a shared household
Splitting rent, groceries and bills without pooling finances
Why trust replaced micromanaging once a man was out of the equation
The "no men in the home" rule, and how dating still works around it
The moment Jen realised the mommune had given her her mental space back
Advice for anyone wanting to build this kind of support system, with or without moving in together

When she became a single mum, Jen made a promise to herself: she was not going to live a smaller, harder life just because a relationship had ended. Years later, that promise turned into a "mommune" — a shared home in New York City with her best friend Annabelle, also a single mum, where they split rent, share dinners, divide the mental load of parenting, and raise their kids as one family unit. No romantic partners live in the house. No calendars or chore charts either. Just two women who decided that trust, presence and showing up for each other beats waiting around for a man to do it. In this conversation, Jen unpacks how the mommune actually started (hint: it wasn't a business decision, it was years of shared play dates and swapped babysitting), how she and Annabelle split money and domestic labour without ever discussing finances directly, how dating still fits into her life without ever entering the home, and why she believes isolation, not money, is often the real crisis facing single mums. This episode is for anyone who has ever sat alone on a Friday night after the kids are asleep and wondered if there's another way to build a home, a family and a life that doesn't hinge on finding "the one." In this episode: <ul><li>How a years-long friendship turned into a shared household</li><li>Splitting rent, groceries and bills without pooling finances</li><li>Why trust replaced micromanaging once a man was out of the equation</li><li>The "no men in the home" rule, and how dating still works around it</li><li>The moment Jen realised the mommune had given her her mental space back</li><li>Advice for anyone wanting to build this kind of support system, with or without moving in together</li></ul> <hr>

Now What? is a podcast for single mothers, solo mums by choice and women navigating separation, co-parenting, dating again and blended families. Formerly Mothering On My Own, the show has evolved to reflect how single motherhood keeps shifting and reshaping over time. Hosted by Rachel Maksimovic, it’s a space for honest conversations, expert insights and real stories that help you feel less alone as you navigate each new chapter and ask yourself… now what?

Now What? is a podcast for single mothers, solo mums by choice and women navigating separation, co-parenting, dating again and blended families. Formerly Mothering On My Own, the show has evolved to reflect how single motherhood keeps shifting and reshaping over time. Hosted by Rachel Maksimovic, it&rsquo;s a space for honest conversations, expert insights and real stories that help you feel less alone as you navigate each new chapter and ask yourself&hellip; now what?

Now What? is a podcast for single mothers, solo mums by choice and women navigating separation, co-parenting, dating again and blended families.

Now What? Podcast

The Mommune: Inside the Household Where Two Single Mums Raise Their Kids Together- with Bernie Sinclair

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/d914a279-4f21-4952-9579-b482017ce64e/transcript