Cohousing approach worth emulating?

[Calico]

If we put our family in this kind of living situation, I would be arrested for murdering my SIL, unless someone else beats me to the act.

Yup. I would be arrested for murdering both of my sisters. Forget co-housing; I get along best with my family when we are separated by a couple thousand miles.

 

[ExitLeft]

My BIL and SIL have been examples of the cohousing approach, for health and economic reasons: housing BIL's parents, SIL's mother (until she passed of cancer- having her there was a godsend from a care perspective), 2 grown children with developmental disabilities and another SIL. A pretty small house that is really crowded at times, but they make it work and I don't hear them complain much. I feel guilty because we have a bigger house and just 4 of us.
When I was w*rking full time, I was not big on company after hours since I had so little free time. My attitude has changed a lot and I try to take the time to visit more with family and friends, but I don't think I could handle full-time living together. Too much potential for trouble I think. I do wish our houses were closer though, for more spur-of-the-moment activities.

 

[Koolau]

My BIL and SIL have been examples of the cohousing approach, for health and economic reasons: housing BIL's parents, SIL's mother (until she passed of cancer- having her there was a godsend from a care perspective), 2 grown children with developmental disabilities and another SIL. A pretty small house that is really crowded at times, but they make it work and I don't hear them complain much. I feel guilty because we have a bigger house and just 4 of us.
When I was w*rking full time, I was not big on company after hours since I had so little free time. My attitude has changed a lot and I try to take the time to visit more with family and friends, but I don't think I could handle full-time living together. Too much potential for trouble I think. I do wish our houses were closer though, for more spur-of-the-moment activities.

I really admire the Ohana groups I know in the Islands. They are close knit and loving even though they are often crowded. But it's just not for me or DW. One time when I came early to the mainland for my summer "sabbatical", DW took in a friend who had found herself "homeless." She lost her j*b and had only a vehicle to her name. DW helped get her through the trauma by being a friend. But it almost made her nuts. The poor girl living in our spare BR HAD to talk (and talk and talk and...) DW would eventually reach her limit and head to her own (our) BR. Eventually (with DW's help) the lady found a j*b on the mainland but, for almost 2 months it was a struggle that I would NOT have considered putting up with.

So if I'm saying anything, it is that some of us are cut out for such living arrangements and others are not. YMMV