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By Emily McPherson • Senior Journalist 6:19am Mar 15, 2024 Housing crisis could worsen before conditions improve When single mum-of-two Michelle separated from her partner, she knew she wanted to keep her own home on Sydney’s northern beaches. With a newborn baby and a five-year-old, she also knew she didn’t want to have to work crazy hours away from her […]

As rents skyrocket, many are turning to unconventional living situations Sam Konnert · CBC · Posted: Mar 09, 2024 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: March 9 After 10 years of saving, Pat Dunn and her husband took the leap into retirement, and in 2011 travelled to the Caribbean to live aboard their boat.  Three years later, their retirement dream came crashing down when […]

When the home I loved went on the market in 2021, a friend suggested I start a collective to buy it. I said, “Oh come on, that’s ridiculous.” But the idea stuck in my head. HEIDI WOODLEY 9 FEBRUARY 2024 Before I was born, my dad started a commune in a lovely old (long-gone) lodge in Snug Cove on Bowen […]

We held festivals, started an energy cooperative and reduced our waste to almost nothing. But there are downsides to putting idealists of all stripes together Beth KnightsMon 1 Jan 2024 01.00 AEDT Some time ago I was a single mum living in a sharehouse in Melbourne’s inner north. While not an ideal housing scenario, I couldn’t afford to live alone, […]

Homeownership has always been a priority for me. As a self-employed single parent in an expensive city, I was able to become a postdivorce homeowner through cohousing. I found another single mom with the same needs as mine to live with. We are now four women with five kids living together in a four-unit apartment building. There are a ton of financial perks, our kids are thriving, and many […]

A single mother living in Perth says she will likely begin the new year living in her friend’s spare room because the rent on her own home has just doubled in price, making it unaffordable for her. Jakki Brooking, 28, said the price of her three-bedroom rental would soon jump from $300 to $630 per week after it was sold to new owners. Brooking said she […]

Single-parenting stress comes from the responsibilities of raising kids on your own and with just a single income. When you are a single parent, you are in charge of earning a living and making decisions for yourself and your kids. All these on top of feeling alone can be difficult to bear. How to Avoid Single-Parenting Stress As a single […]

Working from home as a single parent is awesome unless you have kids to take care of. This is especially true since COVID-19 made attending school or daycare in person unsafe. Being productive while working from home and homeschooling your kids is next to impossible. However, while kids can be a distraction while working from home as a single parent, […]

Imitation in child development isn’t discussed often enough, yet it is a crucial aspect of your child’s formative years. Imitation allows your child to learn new things by watching the people around them. Most children learn speech, movements, and other skills by copying their parents, siblings, and caregivers. In Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, he divided child development into […]

Self-love for single parents can be hard. Separation and divorce often leave us with damaged self-esteem. Moreover, taking care of a child on your own often means sacrificing your own needs — physical, material, and emotional. But as your child’s role model, it is important for you to show them the importance of confidence and self-care. Self-Love for Single Parents: […]

There are many reasons you need to teach your child about financial literacy for kids. Anyone can go through financial troubles at any time. They can be the result of accidents, job loss, illness, or as we recently realized, a global pandemic. If the possibility of losing your source of income makes you anxious, you’re not alone. About 31% of […]

Mould in the house can cause respiratory problems, allergies, asthma, and respiratory infections. Damp and mould can also have adverse effects on your immune system. Some of the symptoms of mould exposure are: Eye irritation Runny nose and congestion Sneezing Sore throat Coughing Skin rashes Wheezing Lung irritation Headaches If you have these pre-existing conditions, you are at higher risk […]

Numerous research studies on COVID-19 impacts on single parents and married parents have been conducted since the start of the pandemic. While the phenomenon has been challenging for many of us, evidence suggests it has been extra difficult for single parents.   Let’s find out more.   COVID-19 Impacts on Single Parents    The pandemic affected our lives in many different ways. Working […]

Growth mindset parenting can help your child understand that failure and challenges are learning opportunities. It’s the opposite of a fixed mindset parenting that produces kids that are afraid to take risks and face challenges. Your children’s mindset affects how they respond to situations. Growth mindset parenting teaches kids that a challenge or a roadblock is good for brain development. […]

Child food insecurity has sneaky effects on your kid’s health and development. It increases the risks for poor health, iron deficiency, hospitalization, depression, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder. Food insecurity also makes children more prone to aggression and violence.  But what exactly is food insecurity? Being food-insecure means not having access to adequate amounts of safe and healthy food due to a lack of money or […]

Affordable childcare provides temporary relief to single parents from the responsibility of looking after their children. So, childcare allows single parents to work and earn a living. Unfortunately, childcare is expensive. A typical Australian family spends, on average, about A$6,000 per year on childcare.  About 1 in 7 families in Australia are one-parent families, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Most of these single-parent families need […]

Do you really need to know the reasons single parents are unheralded heroes? It’s pretty obvious, but let’s talk about it nontheless. “When you’ve been a parent for 11 years and you’ve done it alone, you don’t have romantic ideals, because you have a practical understanding that you can do it by yourself.”  Michelle Williams  Michelle Williams is a multi-awarded […]

These money-saving tips for single parents will help you save money whenever and wherever possible. Being a parent is the hardest job in the world, more so if you’re at it alone. And it’s freaking expensive! So it’s common for single parents to struggle financially especially during these trying times.  When you’re a single parent, the list of expenses never […]

Are you curious about the benefits of living in a shared house as a single parent? Property prices are at their highest ever in Australia and the rest of the world. A house in Bellevue Hill in Sydney was sold for $25 million, which is 40% more than its original price! Five years ago, its selling price was $7 million.   This […]

The rental market in Australia is at its highest in 12 years, amidst soaring housing prices and still with many struggling with continuous lockdowns. Australia needs a housing correction desperately.  Rentals have followed the house price bubble, and are now more than double what they should be. When did $500 a week become normal?!   Single parents with dependent children […]

The ideal single parent scenario is one in which you have a co-parent with whom you get along beautifully, extended family and friends on both sides who are there to offer advice and other tangible support, and everyone lives happily ever after.⁠ ⁠ But … We all know that ideal scenario is also not typical. For most single parents, we […]

The financial strain on single parent households is exacerbated during the school holidays with 1 in 5 single parents reportedly calling in sick to work to look after their children and 35% taking unpaid leave to provide childcare. It also highlights the social implications this financial strain can have on children, with expensive activities and school trips having to be […]

Locking eyes across a crowded room might make for a lovely song lyric, but when it comes to romantic potential, it seems that nothing these days rivals technology. It’s more possible to find someone now than at probably any other time in history.  You don’t have to stand in a bar and wait for the right one to come along.  […]

Online dating apps in Australia allow you to “date from home.” Yes, you read that right. Apart from making “work from home” the new buzzword, the pandemic also forced many singles to try finding love online. About 1.7 million Australians are using online dating apps and the industry revenue is expected to reach $38 million this year. Best Online Dating […]

Making money from the best paid survey sites in Australia? Why not? It’s a more productive use of your time than keeping tabs on the latest celebrity gossip. Fair warning though: it’s a very rewarding side hustle, but no way can it replace your full-time job. It’s just an effective way to earn some extra money to supplement your regular […]

Mortgage Mates facilitates the ability to co-own a home by matching two or more Mates to own a home together. Co-ownership is like permanent co-living, which has been around for a lot longer than our version of shared ownership, and comes in the forms of flatmates, roommates, share houses and now, purpose let, purpose matched websites for specific individuals.   As […]

The explanation of the how’s and whys of leaving and recreating a new life as a single mum with a baby and a young toddler are usually met with words such as “inspirational” or “strong” or “courageous”.  And yes, I agree, I am not one to take away from someone else’s experience of my story and how it affects them […]

Being a parent is hard. Being a single parent is harder – much harder!  I was a full time single parent for eight years before I met my partner. What a ride it was… When I was about ten weeks pregnant, my ex husband broke up with me. After many years together, a baby on the way and a recently-bought […]

I’ve been alone for many a Valentine’s Day, the last 5 in a row in fact, and they haven’t all been easy. I find the idea of celebrating love quite beautiful, but Valentine’s Day can easily make those of us who are single or heartbroken feel left out. That’s why having intentional rituals for self-love can make the day so […]

You hear your thoughts and words more than any person ever talking to you.  Be kind.  Be gentle.  Be compassionate.  Being your own best friend and cultivating self love, self care and self acceptance allows you to show up fully in your life; enabling you to be the best version of yourself, attracting and maintaining healthier relationships and it makes […]

When it comes to single mums, there are specific limiting beliefs that I see women struggle with time and again. Messages we assume to be true, and on which we base our worth, the treatment we accept, the relationships we aspire to, the jobs we take, the businesses we grow, and the level of wellbeing that we believe we are […]

Its all about getting results and stressing less! I am going to show you 15 easy New Year Resolutions that you can set for yourself. And the best part; when you look back at the end of the year, you will be able to cross them all off because they are achievable and super simple. So why super simple New […]

School holidays are upon us.  I know I am scrambling to fill my kids’ days with activities and sort appropriate care (because they are so young) while I am working on my business or at my remote part time job. The juggle isn’t just mine, its pretty much every single parent in the country that has a job or a […]

Mornings can be tough for a couple with kids, let alone a single mum or single dad, but you’ve got this! The following tips will go along way to creating a routine that will leave you all stress-free, happy and positive about the day ahead. Set Up the Night Before Having uniforms ironed, clothes set out, sandwiches made, bags packed and ready […]

Change can be a very positive experience and in many cases change is exciting but within that can still be the uncertainty of the unknown and if we as adults feel this, then it can bring a period of adjustment and stress for a child.  For most children their family is their whole world and they construct their identity through […]

Chances are you spend a lot of time sitting in your longeroom.  It is a common space after all and the one you all sit and chat in, the one the kids bring their toys too and where the popcorn snacks and odds and ends creep in while watching a movie.  Living in a home that is shared can mean at […]

A rental application can take between 48 – 72 hours for a decision, if there is a rather large volume of applications it can take even longer.  It is the norm for the agent to contact the applicant that gets approval so if you haven’t heard from the agent after 48 hours it’s a good idea to follow up by […]

What would happen if our first step towards solving homelessness was to actually give people someplace to live? Maybe some wandering monks don’t even want a home, but pretty much everyone else does. The question we should ask ourselves is, does everyone deserve one? I’m going to deflect that leading question and point out that the data show that we ALL benefit, […]

Sometimes a new housemate works out great and sometimes it’s a total disaster. So what’s the secret to finding a good housemate? It’s to Know Yourself. The most important step in the housemate selection process is taking the time to understand who you are and how you and your kids live at home. Do this part well, and you’ll reap all […]

In some areas, the price of rent and competition for rental properties is fierce. Numerous people turn up each time, as single parents we rely mainly on the single parents pension from Centrelink, sometimes some PAYG work or some self-employment income. In. most cases child support is nonexistent, basically our finances more often than not, look terrible. Add to that when […]

As a single mum with young children that weren’t at school yet (last year, 2019) and trying to grow a new business (ShareAbode) there were often times that I would struggle financially.  I was committed with any spare time to ShareAbode because I believed in its mission – still believe in its mission, I’m still here!  And I didn’t feel […]

Presenting pitches from your sofa, wrapping and packing your own product from the lounge-room floor and remotely continuing to offer your clients your services from your laptop on the  breakfast table. Working from home is an adjustment for many. But adding children to the mix brings its own complexities. How do we keep our children entertained and engaged while we […]

I have had a question that could be relevant to many of you right now with the current conditions and I wanted to share it with all of you: Question: “I wondered if you had any advice to post on breaking a lease during these unprecedented times. My real estate have been pretty full on so far (emails before the […]

Who are you calling a dummy. I’m sorry, it’s an expression. You’re not a dummy. Heck, you’re on the ShareAbode website. That in itself is a smart move. Do you know what else is mighty clever? Embracing Nutritional Sustainability. What is Nutritional Sustainability? The concept of eating that which is both nourishing for you and for Mother Nature. A matter of […]

Over the last few decades, there has been an increasing trend towards living alone or with immediate family. However, the increase of the sharing economy has been changing that. Here at ShareAbode we think there is much to be gained from rediscovering shared living, and that it might be a big part of the solution to the current housing affordability […]

After my divorce, I was devastated. I felt like nobody would ever love me again or that I had failed both myself and my partner in some way. Over time, I was able to realise that the relationship had simply ended and that it was not necessarily through any fault of my own. During the process of recovering from the […]

  Here’s my story – of how I moved on after divorce. I write this in the hope that it can help and also inspire other women who are starting again.  I was married for 6 years and then left; with my daughter, who at the time was 18 months old. After I left, we moved in with my parents, both […]

A recent rental affordability survey by Rent.com.au of more than 2,000 renters in Australia found 53% are spending one-third to a half of their weekly income on rent – putting them under what’s known as ‘rental stress’. Even more concerning is that 30% of renters are spending more than half of their weekly income on rent, putting them under extreme rental stress. And when your a […]

We are hard wired to need connection. We have an innate need to feel safe with someone, that they can meet our physical and emotional needs. That we feel loved and that we belong. This sense of connection has a huge impact on the emotional resilience of our children. There are many ways we can support the emotions of our […]

Each child is their own person, with their own complex set of feelings and needs. Every feeling is valid, can be acknowledge and supported. We may take the time to hold our child’s hand as they learn to walk, measure their growth and ensure they eat the foods they need to grow and develop physically, but how can we support […]

Divorce and Separation can be a hectic time. To make it worse, some people don’t ever move past this experience. They remain angry, jealous or feeling like a victim, which can result in them throwing some outlandish, nasty and even abusive words and behaviors your way. I am talking from experience here.  High Conflict People often just can’t handle things […]

As a single mum, I wear many hats, play many roles and fill in where before I didn’t. My time is precious yet I kept giving it all away so much so there was no time for myself. As a (now reformed) people pleaser I would regularly overcommit themselves sometimes (ok a lot of the time) and ended up exhausted […]

I wanted to write about something a little left field. I recently did some market research and some feedback I received was very interesting, so interesting in fact, its worth a blog. A few mums had commented that the information they wanted was on how to cope as a parent of a child who doesn’t sleep well. Now, we all […]

There is a lovely African proverb: ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ African culture recognises that parenting is a shared responsibility – a communal affair – not just the concern of parents or grandparents, but of the extended family. Uncles, aunts, cousins, neighbours and friends can all be involved, and all have a part to play. In our […]

[NB: for the flow and ease of reading, I’ll refer to the breakdown of a Mum/Dad relationship. The same advice applies if there’s a breakdown of a Mum/Mum or Dad/Dad relationship.] Regardless of the reason why you need to, having 2 unrelated children begin living under the same roof will always come with its own set of challenges. Think sibling […]

“Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die” -Malachy McCourt.   You may have heard this quote before, or a variation of it.  This idea is simple and logical.  However, applying it in everyday life can be extremely challenging.  Divorce can bring up feelings of hurt, resentment, anger and bitterness.  And these emotions can linger long after the legal […]

There are many different ways to deal with the transition from a 2 parent household to being a single parent supporting your child/children through what can be a very difficult time in their life. I was one of 3 children in a single parent household from a very early age and was also a single parent of my 2 oldest […]

My story as a single parent began with the death of my husband, James, to bowel cancer in 2011. This was something we never imagined happening. We had three children, Lachie, Bella and Jessie, and we dreamed of a fulfilling life together. James was diagnosed with Stage IV bowel cancer right from the start and spent two and a half […]

Does fitting self care into your day can feel too hard? Here are 5 ideas to make self care simple AND fulfilling. Dance to a song which makes you smile It might be a song your parents loved or one that reminds you of a holiday. My go-to songs are “Faith” from “Sing” or anything by Michael Jackson.  Dancing is […]

Finding or offering share accommodation is a fun social interaction, however, a few simple steps can make the whole process a lot simpler and safer for everyone. Discussing rights and responsibilities as a tenant or landlord can be awkward when moving in with someone you barely know – at times it can even feel like a breach of the trust […]

I am a single mother of a daughter. At one stage we had another single mother and her daughter move into our third bedroom. Our daughters used to play together at the playground. The other mother told me the owners were moving back into her rental and she didn’t have bond money and had nowhere to go, so I offered […]

I am a single mum raising two kids with autism, it’s five steps forward, three steps back.’ If I had a crystal ball 14 ago, would I have changed the decisions I made?   Let’s start at the beginning. In 2004, I met my soulmate on an online dating site. We clicked instantly, were married two years later, and things were […]

I have always considered that being a father is just as an important role as a mother, my own father left my life when I was 11 and we never reconnected before he passed away three years ago. His final words to me burned into my mind, “you’ll always be a failure without me in your life”. My own father […]

As a young adult doing a hairdressing apprenticeship no one thought anything of me sharing a house. When I was married then later as a single mother, many people had opinions on it, but I found sharing a house as a single mother to be hugely beneficial to myself, my kids and those we shared with, especially when they were […]

You can order food from the comfort of our couch, task someone to clean your home and even find a date while using the bathroom—so why can’t you expertly manage your co-living through an app?  You can!! To keep your co-living experience  on track I’ve compiled six of the best apps to make living together easier. Chorma Forget leaving passive […]

I’m going to hit the ripe old age of 43 on Christmas Day this year. Am I freaked out about sliding slowly towards 50? Not one bit. You see, I’ve made the decision to live a passionate, purposeful life, and this decision is not only key to my mental and emotional health but is rapidly translating into more moolah in […]

I was 18 when I met my ex-husband, we were married by 23 and separated at 31. What followed the separation was four months of incredible lows as I grieved what had been, and the reality of being a single parent sunk in. Money very quickly became a huge issue. I had started a Virtual Assistant business not long after […]

Experiencing a family breakdown is a lot of things. We expect heartbreak and upset. We expect turmoil and change. But what often surprises us is the sheer determination required when taking a new path as a single mum. For many, our lives were carefully planned. They may have included things like raising children within our family unit and growing old […]

12 years ago I quit my career and I became a massage therapist. It had been a long time coming as the work I was doing and the people I was spending every day with, was slowly killing my soul and leading me into depression. One day while I was on a women’s retreat I received a little 15min Kahuna […]

Normally, when you run out of bread or milk and your a single parent, you pile all your kids into the car and set off to the shops. However, there are a growing breed of single parents moving in together so they can afford a house with a backyard for them and their kids, plus the fort and the kids […]

Guest Story:  By Charlotte Sapwell of Little Explorers The first time I felt like a failure was my marriage brake down, the second time was I felt like I’d let myself and two children down because I couldn’t afford rent anymore. Not knowing what to do next I turned to my parents, they suggested we move home, just until I […]

There are many reasons to house share, as a single parent, as. senior or even when your in University and most of the mainstream reasons are that its less expensive and you have company but it goes beyond this, so I thought I’d take some time to show the hidden benefits which might not be visible at first glance for […]

Pension changes by successive governments have hit some of the poorest Australians the hardest, with single-parent families who rely on welfare up to $6,000 worse off over the past decade. ‘You have no idea how bloody tough it is’.  An impassioned speech by Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie ends in tears as she condemns the government’s cuts to welfare, saying “what […]

When I became a parent I was on a remote property and had a business which was also my baby and this kept me home for many years before my first born and then when I had the baby, I stayed home even more.   Deep in my soul I yearned for friends. Real friends.  Not the neighbours, not the familiar faces […]

With the nature of the housing economic climate around the world, and especially in Australia, finding a place to live affordably and comfortably is nearly becoming an unrealistic entitlement for many single mums and families around the world. Key Takeaways: Rent prices increasing – Single mums house sharing is increasing ShareAbode has been developed to help single mums It’s estimated […]