‘The only way I can survive’: co-living as a single parent
Facing a double whammy of availability and affordability issues, single parents in Australia are moving in together, with some finding surprising side benefitsGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailI was a single parent to an eight-year-old, balancing parenting and part-time work with completing a master’s degree in 2020. My son and I lived in a converted Queenslander, and despite its somewhat faded charm and convenient location, the flat had no living room, back yard, ceiling fans or air-conditioning.We got by with limited space until lockdowns meant I spent almost all of my time at the kitchen table – working, completing uni assignments, trying to homeschool a very active child, writing, eating and socialising via Zoom. By the middle of the year I was dreaming of an alternative home with more space, even though I didn’t think I could afford it. Continue reading...

Facing a double whammy of availability and affordability issues, single parents in Australia are moving in together, with some finding surprising side benefits
I was a single parent to an eight-year-old, balancing parenting and part-time work with completing a master’s degree in 2020. My son and I lived in a converted Queenslander, and despite its somewhat faded charm and convenient location, the flat had no living room, back yard, ceiling fans or air-conditioning.
We got by with limited space until lockdowns meant I spent almost all of my time at the kitchen table – working, completing uni assignments, trying to homeschool a very active child, writing, eating and socialising via Zoom. By the middle of the year I was dreaming of an alternative home with more space, even though I didn’t think I could afford it. Continue reading...