Chinese commune: how single mothers reinvented it (7 photos)
There are about 30 million single mothers in China. Living alone is becoming more and more expensive. That's why "mother enclaves" have emerged, when women move in together to share bills and take turns looking after children so they can go to work. 
Two women on a walk with identical strollers
As the mothers themselves say, they have discovered an unexpected advantage of this type of cohabitation. Nowadays, it is common in China to have one child (you can't afford more). And in such mother families, the child suddenly has brothers and sisters! An only child is often lonely, but now they play and study together. The social skills of such children are simply an order of magnitude higher. 
A family of two mothers took two children for a walk
And what about fathers? In China, only one in six fathers takes custody of children, as a result of which in 83% of divorced families the mother remains the head of the family. And so there are 30 million single mothers. But the trouble is that in China, being a single mother is much harder than even here.
Why is it harder there than here? 
A false picture, children with such an age difference will not get along and go to different schools
It is difficult for us to keep up with homework, school, kindergarten, working 8 hours a day, and then cooking and washing in the evening. In China, desperate mothers are often hired for a strict 996 schedule, which has already been discussed here. Six days from nine to nine. School chores do not fit into this IN ANY WAY. Therefore, women, driven into a corner, post ads on social networks looking for "mom-neighbors". It is not necessary to live together, some agree to take turns picking up the children and feeding them dinner. But everyone prefers to find a permanent partner to be sure of them. 
How to work and manage a child? In China, NO WAY
A standard ad for a mother looks like this:
"Looking for another single mother to share an apartment with. Hopefully we can share childcare responsibilities - if you work day shifts, I can take night shifts. Our goal is to provide care for both children when one of us is raising them alone.
About me: I have experience working with children, a college degree, and basic English teaching skills that I can use in early childhood education.
Perfect match: Another single mom who values teamwork in raising children. Message me if you are interested." 
And this is an article about how single moms will solve the birth rate crisis in China
Is this normal for a child?
Critics of the new family system, as it is ironically called, say that this way children will not have male role models. And that the nuclear family is more complete. Although Chinese universities are already studying this as a social phenomenon and, possibly, a new family format that will become increasingly popular. Scientists call it a "functional alternative" to the traditional household. 
As with us, in China it is also difficult for a woman with a child to find a job. No one cares about her difficulties
Women clearly state that another woman-mother provides much more support in matters with a child than men, even fathers. Because traditionally in China, children are considered women's work. And when all are women, everything is distributed equally. A 2018 survey of 830 single mothers found that more than a third earned 2,000 yuan or less per month, while another 29% earned between 2,001 and 4,000 yuan. 
I would like to point out that in China there are quite a few touching stories about how a single father tries for the sake of his child. But there are also many Chinese, so statistically there are more of them here
Only 6% have a monthly income of over 10,000 yuan. In first-tier cities, at least a quarter of single mothers who do not receive alimony live below the poverty line, and another 24% belong to low-income households. It is not surprising that with wild housing prices, women live not just two, but three to one apartment. Do you think this will become a new family format?
