‘We’re single moms who live together and split our finances’

Mom Samantha Best, 24, a social media influencer from New Plymouth, New Zealand, split up with her partner in April 2021, and her and her son Kaelin, four, moved to Auckland to live with best friend Lauren Robinson, 26, and her daughter Haidyn, five.

The pair who met four years ago through Instagram moved in together last year and have been inseparable ever since.

“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,” Samantha explains.

“It’s so much easier living with Lauren. 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.

“We always know we will have a babysitter if needed as well, it’s great.”

“I live with my best friend – and Kaelin and Haidyn have a sibling figure for each other.”

Samantha admits it was ‘hard’ breaking up with the father of her only child having spent five years in a relationship together.

But now they have a healthy co-parenting relationship and Haidyn couldn’t be happier to share her home with Kaelin.

“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.

“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. “

The pair decided they wanted to live together and bring up their young children together. Co-parenting as best friends and spending their nights together has benefitted both themselves and their children.

Being a young mum, Samantha was 20 when she had her son, just as she was about to start studying law after working in a law firm.

“I fell pregnant when I was 20 whilst I was working in a law firm. I was offered a role and to start studying but then I became pregnant. I enjoyed spending time with my son so I took on a lot more social media content creating and did this full time instead,” Samantha said.

“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.

“I struggled before I moved in with Lauren. It was hard for myself and Kaelin to live on our own and live comfortably. Auckland is very expensive and I was quite lonely and scared.

“My family were so supportive when I decided to move as they knew it would be better for my career with a lot more opportunities – but they missed us and found it hard to process.

“I go back home to New Plymouth every two weeks though so Kaelin can see his dad and I can see my family.

“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.

“He tries to do a lot of mature things and copies Haidyn. He learned how to ride a bike by watching her do it, as well as eating at the table. He definitely looks up to her.

The pair have never clashed and show parenting with your best friend can be a breeze –  as well as always having a good time, showing their antics and fun through their social media profiles, and would advocate for any single mums to do the same.

Although Samantha and Lauren are always asked if they are in a relationship together with how close they are.

“Definitely move in with your friend if you have to chance to. If you have a good foundation of friendship you should do it. It’s like dating, it’s a big thing to live with someone but if you get on well, why not and it’s easier to save money too,” Samantha explains:.

“People always think we’re together in a relationship, it’s always questioned but we definitely aren’t.

“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.”