Raising my Family at Cobb Hill Cohousing

by Lilah

Moving from the suburbs of Boston to an intentional community in rural Vermont was a decision driven by many factors including wanting to be closer to nature and farming, choosing a more sustainable lifestyle, desiring community living, and prioritizing a healthy place for my children to grow up. The African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child," is a needed antidote to a growing crisis in modern family living where parents are increasingly isolated due to a culture and economic system that has dispersed families and made obsolete the deep intergenerational connection to the land. While community living is not a utopia, it affords many benefits to not only the individual families, but also supports intergenerational relationships that are missed in the modern drive for over 55+ gated communities.  

Family life at Cobb Hill in many ways is not so different from a close-knit neighborhood. Some of the differences are more subtle, but permeate life on the Hill. The design of the physical space prioritizes walkways and ample greenspace, with parking on the periphery, making space for safe play surrounded by beauty with twenty-three households keeping an eye on the young intrepid explorers. It is not uncommon to see residents taking the time to connect with the younger members of the community to talk about what's in their garden, activities at school, or connect with a furry loved-one. Some of the benefits are not unique to Cobb Hill, but a throwback to a more simple time, where kids roam freely and come back when it gets dark or having a carpool and phone tree for group pick up from the various local school activities.

For me personally, there are a number of opportunities of living in a community that are especially beneficial for families with kids. During our monthly work day, children can participate with the adults to help complete needed community projects. I love watching my kids go off confidently with other adult community members to stack firewood, cook in the kitchen, remove invasive plants, and other needed tasks. There are also a number of important community and committee meetings at the common house, which is just a stone's throw from my home. This allows me to participate in meaningful ways, while my kids are either safe at home or playing in the common house during those meetings. Building ritual activities is another plus, such as an annual Halloween party, New Year's Eve potluck & dance celebration, community summer camp, Memorial day potluck, 4th of July potluck and celebration, and other family-friendly events that deepen ties through shared meaningful experiences. Cobb Hill, like any other place where humans reside and interact, still has to deal with the challenges of interpersonal conflicts and disagreements. Thankfully, we are actively working on our interpersonal skills and address conflicts where possible. It is a work in progress, but worth the effort.

Over the years, life on the Hill has evolved with the individuals who have come and gone, bringing their unique gifts and offerings to the community. Life at Cobb Hill is a place where collective benefits come from what you put into it, from an active 4-H program that connects youngsters to agricultural skills, to volunteers who share their time to build native bees and bird boxes, and mentors who connect our next generation to the skills needed for a future aligned with nature and human-scale living. It feels bountiful to live at Cobb Hill and I am grateful to have the opportunity to grow as a person and watch my children thrive in community.