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What It’s Like to Parent With Your Friends

Jun 5, 2025
Rhaina Cohen, an NPR producer and writer, explores the transformative effects of friend-powered parenting, while Phil Levin, founder of Live Near Friends, discusses innovative community living solutions. They delve into the emotional and practical benefits of raising kids alongside friends, addressing challenges like differing parenting styles and communal support. Personal anecdotes highlight the joys of shared responsibilities and the idea of ‘friend-based parenting,’ creating a supportive and enriching environment for both parents and children.
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ANECDOTE

Moving for Friendship Support

  • Charlotte and Raffi moved across states to live next door to their best friends and felt a huge stress relief.
  • They valued real day-to-day support beyond what distant friendships could offer.
ANECDOTE

Living With Friends' Kids

  • Rhaina Cohen lived with friends who had kids and formed intimate bonds despite not having children herself.
  • The children gave them nicknames, showing closeness beyond biological ties.
INSIGHT

Friend Parenting as Tradition Remix

  • Friend-based parenting echoes ancient communal child-rearing practices, not a new concept.
  • It reflects a 'remixing' of traditional extended family structures for modern life.
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