In general, when people say they’re parenting with their best friend, they mean their significant other. But for two New Zealand mothers, they literally mean that they’re parenting with their best friend (AKA each other).
Samantha Best, 24, and Lauren Robinson, 26, are two young, single mothers who decided to move in together to cut the costs of parenting.
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Best moved to Auckland, NZ, from New Plymouth.
Alongside her four-year-old son Kaelin, Best took the plunge and moved to the city after breaking things off with the child’s father, her ex-partner of five years.
Best and Robinson have known each other for over four years.
Best met Robinson, mother of five-year-old Haidyn, through Instagram. Best explains, ” Lauren and I are inseparable .
“We moved into a house together in May this year after I decided to move back to Auckland for better work opportunities.”
For the two, the move has been easy for a number of reasons.
“We’ve been able to split our finances and we are able to help each other with childcare if one of us is busy the other can pick them both up from school, or if either of us need to go out the other can watch the two children,” Best continues.
“We always know we will have a baby sitter if needed as well, it’s great.”
“I live with my best friend and we have so much fun together. We have wine nights together watching Love Island together. Who wouldn’t want to live with their best friend?”
She adds that the move has been good for their kids, too.
She says, “The kids keep themselves company together, but they are now like siblings so they do bicker and that can be challenging but that’s really it and it’s expected.”
Best was about to begin studying law when she became pregnant with Kaelin.
“I fell pregnant when I was 20 whilst I was working in a law firm,” she says. “I was offered a role and to start studying but then I became pregnant.”
That shifted her focus on a career in social media, and now works as an influencer.
“I enjoyed spending time with my son so I took on a lot more social media content creating and did this full time instead.”
For Best and Robinson, living and co-parenting with your best friend is a great idea for young parents.
“I hope I can inspire other people to do this and live with their friend if they are both single parents. It would help to give single mums a better life,” Best continues.
“I struggled before I moved in with Lauren. It was hard for myself and Kaelin to live on our own and live comfortably.”
“I was sad when I thought Kaelin would be by himself, but it’s so different now with Haidyn around, he has definitely come out of his shell as she is older than he is.”
And no, Best and Robinson are not in a relationship with each other.
Best says, “Neither of us are looking to date anyone either. If we found a partner they’d have to buy the house next door or something, neither of us have plans to move. We want to save up and buy a house together.”
