Off Gridders...do you worry about child services?

[ghostlykisses]

I had been reading some things about living off grid and building codes and well as some things about living full time in an RV. I heard some stories about families being harassed by child protective services because they live full time in an RV and I guess that is frowned upon. This got me thinking when I was reading about living off grid in alternative housing....would you need to worry about someone bothering you?

Say you lived in a community like an eco-village and you made your own cob house or lived in a yurt or something like that and you did not have traditional modern plumbing and stuff (you might have a composting toilet and solar power but no kitchen and shower because you use the community ones). Do you think the authorities might get the idea to raid the place and take kids because they don't understand that way of life? It is a fairly radical thing and I just have this fear that popped into my head of someone seeing some sort of story or blog about living that way and getting the idea that it is somehow endangering children.

I guess I am just thinking out loud here and looking to see if I am the only one who worries about that sort of thing when researching alternative housing ideas and intentional communities. Comments?

[1stimestar]

Guess it depends on where you live. I live in a one bedroom, dry cabin with my two children and sometimes my husband. That means we haul water, have an outhouse, and shower using a campshower hanging from the ceiling while standing in a rubbermaid tub. But we are in Alaska and this way of life is pretty common here. So no, I have no concerns about it at all even though husband and I spend time seperated and have discussed and even fought over custody. It's a non issue here. But in other places, I'm sure it is not so. I'm looking forward to what others have to say.

[kimmom]

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[kimmom]

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[hippiemommaof4]

I feel really sad for families who have to even worry about this, it angers me actually. I'm not off grid...and we do a lot of things considered "normal" but even though most people think I am "weird" for my ways I cant even imagine calling on someone for any of that! its ridiculous. I would totally be open to living some of those ways but it's not possible right now. I dont understand people. Call for parents who abuse their kids...not over a fudging toilet @@. people suck... CPS angers me and people who call them over everything really burn my arse ok thats all sorry for the vent

[ghostlykisses]

I am glad that everything worked out ok for you kimmom.

I guess I am a bit of a nervous nelly about this sort of thing because we had a bad experience when we were foster parents years ago. Now whatever I do with my kids I factor in that fear. We live in the suburbs right now and we are the weird family on the block. My kids don't get a ton of junk and snacks. Their friend next door does and they go over there and the kid gives them food all the time. I always worry that they will think I don't feed my kids or something. It's not that my kids are just excited to get junk food!

It is sad that those of us who want to live lightly or naturally on the Earth have to even think about this stuff or watch our backs. Most of us are the people who care most about our children's well being, that is why we choose to live in these unique ways and do things the natural way.

[momo7]

When my DH was a little boy his family, for a while, lived in a camper in a camp ground. When he tells the story his version is that everything was great....he learned so much just being around nature and out and about. His mother tells me that she was constantly worried that school would find out and the authorities would get involved because they were technically "homeless". She worried constantly about it and she had told her children not to tell anyone where they lived, and they didn't have friends over. Its really kind of sad, because the kids loved where they lived. Simplicity is a good thing, and I hate that it is looked at with disdain and if you choose to live this way, some how it's made out to be that your children are suffering from poverty and deprivation.