Current members range in age from a few months to over 60. Most of our adults are well educated, with college and advanced degrees, including three with Ph.Ds. All families currently have earned income from jobs performed outside the community - from the fields of health care, education, architecture, computer software and hardware. Perhaps the social aspect that most distinguishes Songaia from typical, semi-rural, neighborhoods is the level of sharing. While each family operates as an independent economic unit, there is sharing of food and other common expenses associated with the maintenance and development of our property.
Little ones are more literal about sharing food.
In addition to shared expenses, we also work together - food for shared meals and regular indoor and outdoor chores. Families have shared childcare with both casual and regular exchanges. The men and women of Songaia share chores with relatively little sex role stereotyping, e.g., all cook and clean, all care for children, most plant and harvest, etc. We all join together in song and positively sing our hearts out - even those who were convinced they couldn't sing before joining. We celebrate together - birthdays, holidays, and other life transitions.