Raising a family in today’s world can be scary with so much political unrest, environmental issues, and divided communities. In an increasingly disconnected world, community is needed, something Filmmakers John Wolfstone, Ian Mackenzie, and Julia Maryanska showcase in their new documentary “The Village of Lovers.” Learn more about the eco-village Tamera and its holistic model for parenting.
For generations, the nuclear family—parents and children living in their own self-contained world—has been the foundation of Western society. Now that we’ve stepped into 2025, more families than ever are questioning whether this model truly serves them. Parenting is evolving, shaped by shifting social norms, the rise of homeschooling and alternative education, and a desire for deeper community connection. With over 50% of marriages ending in divorce and rising rates of anxiety and depression among teens, many are reconsidering whether the nuclear family structure is the best fit for all.
But what if the real shift isn’t just in how we educate our children or balance work and home life—but in where and how we raise them?
In May 2023, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, released an 85-page advisory declaring loneliness a new public health epidemic in the United States, and a Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that, in early 2024, 30% of adults said they experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year.
Raising children in close-knit, intergenerational communities has been romanticized for decades yet is often dismissed as impractical. However, The Village of Lovers, a new documentary by filmmakers John Wolfstone, Ian Mackenzie, and Julia Maryanska, suggests this model is possible and may be far more natural and sustainable than modern society recognizes.
Their visionary film explores Tamera, a revolutionary eco-village in Portugal where people live and love freely, and families raise children in a different, radical way. A world removed from the isolation of traditional suburban life, Tamera embraces a model of shared parenting, trust-based relationships, and a deep connection to nature, offering an alternative path that many modern families are unknowingly searching for.
“Tamera is a community with a vision of shifting the entire culture of this planet from one of war to one of peace. It’s a place where a culture based on trust and transparency is being born,” said a former resident, Ethan Hirsch-Tauber.
A Village to Raise a Child
The phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” has never been more relevant. In a time when parents are stretched thin with little to no support, it may leave many yearning for something beyond conventional structures for solutions.
The community of Tamera challenges the assumption that parenting is a solitary journey. They believe it’s a collective effort embedded in a culture of trust, transparency, and shared wisdom.
“In many ways, Tamera is returning to the way humans lived for thousands of years,” says Wolfstone. “The nuclear family as we know it is a relatively recent social construct. Throughout history, children were raised in communities where many hands contributed to their upbringing. It’s not just a parenting philosophy—it’s how we evolved.”
Trust as the Foundation of Family Life
One of the most profound aspects of Tamera is its emphasis on trust, which is the foundation of all relationships, including parent-child dynamics.
This trust-based model is not about control or rigid structures. Instead, it fosters an environment where adults and children feel safe, seen, and free to explore their individuality within a supportive community. Children are surrounded by adults who openly communicate, resolve conflicts together, and model emotional resilience—lessons that are too often overlooked in traditional education.
A key practice in Tamera is the social technology of Forum, where community members gather in circles to express their thoughts, fears, and experiences openly. “Tamera figured out how to bring repressed feelings to the center, transparently deal with it as a community, and create a huge field of trust in that process. They call themselves a ‘greenhouse of trust,’” Wolfstone explains.
This radical transparency creates a culture where children witness honesty, vulnerability, and conflict resolution in action—equipping them with invaluable emotional intelligence from an early age.
An Alternative to Modern Education
With homeschooling and alternative schooling on the rise, parents are becoming more intentional about how their children learn. Many families seek education that prioritizes creativity, emotional intelligence, and a connection to nature—elements deeply woven into Tamera’s approach to childhood development.
Rather than traditional classrooms, children in Tamera learn through experiential education, spending time in nature, working with their hands, and engaging in real-world problem-solving. They are encouraged to explore their interests while learning essential life skills—like growing food, building shelter, and working collaboratively with others.
This holistic approach emphasizes that education is not just about knowledge—it’s about learning how to live, contribute, and thrive within a community.
A Path Forward for Families Seeking Something Different
As we move into a new era of parenting, more families are beginning to question what “normal” really means. More parents are embracing alternative lifestyles, from homeschooling and co-housing to eco-communities and off-grid living.
Wolfstone expresses that the documentary’s mission is not to say, “Everyone should live like Tamera.” Instead, Tamera is a blueprint for a new way of life that inspires others to “create their own models of community and trust wherever they are.”
Tamera’s model may not be for everyone—but it opens the door to a broader conversation about how families can design their own communities, support systems, and ways of living. For parents seeking a different path, The Village of Lovers offers an invitation to explore, question, and reimagine what raising a child could look like in a world that is rapidly changing.
To learn more about Tamera and the principles behind The Village of Lovers, watch The Village of Lovers documentary and join the upcoming 5-day Summit Fugitive Futures, bringing together radical thought-leaders of regenerative culture from January 29th – February 2nd, 2025.