Woman Struggled Post-Divorce. Now, She’s Raising Her Kid with Another Single Mom She Met Online — Her ‘Life Wife’ 

After separate divorces left them anxious about the future, two mothers turned to an unexpected solution: co-living. What started as a post-split survival plan became a steady, supportive partnership — for them and their kids.

Jenna Wilson ended her marriage in August 2023 and began trying to figure out how to keep a stable home for herself and her young daughter, Maia. She drew on an earlier job coordinating home-share matches and realized she might be able to create a similar setup for her own life.

“I’m very passionate about co-living arrangements and how strangers are really just friends you haven’t met yet,” Jenna said. “It got me thinking that maybe I could share my own house.”

Jenna joined a Facebook group for single mothers interested in living together, posted photos of her home, and soon heard from Priscilla Jones. Priscilla had separated from her husband in July 2023 and was also trying to plan her next steps with her son, Leo.

“I had no idea what I was going to do,” Priscilla said. “So I started to look at other options, and I really loved the idea of living with another single mom.”

When the two met in person, the connection felt immediate. “We arranged to meet, and it was like meeting an instant best friend,” Jenna recalled. Priscilla agreed — they “hit it off straight away.”

They brought their children along, too. And while the first kid-to-kid introduction didn’t go perfectly — “Leo did whack baby Maia in the face upon first meeting,” Priscilla joked — it didn’t derail the relationship. If anything, it became an early sign they could handle real life together.

Today, Jenna, Priscilla, and their children live under one roof. Maia is nearly 3, and Leo is 4. The moms say the kids have bonded quickly and naturally. “They love each other like siblings. They can play for hours and hours,” Jenna said. Priscilla added that their daily rhythm is fully shared: “Bath and bedtime routines are shared.”

They also say the arrangement works because it’s grounded in mutual respect — including with their former partners. Jenna explained that both she and Priscilla have positive relationships with their exes, and that the fathers are supportive and “welcome in the home” when needed. Still, she told Mamamia, “I’ll never live with a man again.”

As adults, Jenna and Priscilla describe their bond as deeper than friendship, built from showing up for each other through upheaval, parenting stress, and the day-to-day weight of rebuilding.

“I call Priscilla my ‘Life Wife.’ It’s like she’s a mix of a best friend and sister,” Jenna said. “It’s just a beautiful and unique bond. It’s like I’ve known Priscilla forever.”

That closeness shows up in small moments: constant encouragement, affection, and a sense of shared momentum. “We are always hugging, telling each other we love each other, and that we are proud of each other,” Jenna said. “Priscilla is a huge supporter of me, and makes me feel like I can achieve anything.”

Priscilla said the feeling is the same on her side. She described how aligned their lifestyles are — from interests to routines — and how living together has made it easier to handle both the practical and emotional load of single parenting. They make time for family life with the kids, she said, but also protect child-free time.

Looking back, Priscilla says the best part is the simple relief of not carrying everything alone: sharing cooking, cleaning, groceries, schedules, and the constant mental checklist of parenting — plus having someone to talk to at the end of the day.

Jenna says the experience has also pushed her to think bigger. Inspired by what she and Priscilla created, she launched a community for single mothers called The Lioness Den.

“The health and wellbeing of all people is a passion for me,” she said, “but in particular, supporting the lives of women and children, creating homes and communities, feels like my life’s purpose.”

Priscilla echoed that mission, saying Jenna’s work — including her role in youth homelessness support — is driven by a belief that women shouldn’t just be “helped,” but empowered. She added that their home proves what’s possible when women build community together: shared responsibility, shared care, and a supportive environment for raising children.

For other mothers thinking about co-living, Jenna offered a reality-based encouragement: it can be life-changing, but it requires communication and planning. She hopes to develop a model that could scale — with shared spaces, plus private areas — so more single moms can build stable, supportive homes together.