The responsibilities are endless and the timing is effed up. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun while adulting.
Where do you look? How do you find the time to go out? How much should you tell your kids? How much should the hottie across the table know?
Calm down! Take deep breathes. We know dating with your children towing behind you in life can be daunting.
We are here to help you navigate through the single-parent dating scene. Get your best outfit ready cause you gonna need it.
1) Be open about your parenthood
We know the stigma around single parents dating is really high and disclosing your parenthood might not fetch positive responses from people you find potential in. Being a parent is actually a very effective a**hole filter, where people with low IQ just get filtered aside. So you end up dating the ones who actually are good for you. (Natural left swipe)
2) Don’t feel obliged to tell your story
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of believing you have to explain how you came to be a single parent. Well, that’s not the case. In the early stages of dating it’s totally fine not to reveal why it didn’t work out with your baby daddy/momma. Once you are a comfortable enough, only then should you disclose the story behind “How I met my ex”
3) Feel positive about dating
Don’t you ever feel selfish while dating. Capiche? You may feel guilty saying bye-bye to your kid and going out without them, but remember you need your personal time to remain sane. Having an adult company once in a while is good your for liver and skin. (Did someone say wine?)
4) Don’t rush to introduce your date to your kid
You need to make sure that the person you are dating understand that you don’t need any help in parenting. That’s your territory. This can easily lead to a catastrophe and your child doesn’t need this kind of disruption in their life. Only once you are confident that this person can be permanent and isn’t going to affect your offspring’s life negatively should you arrange a playdate.
5) Focus on present
Live in the moment. It’s just dating. You need not think about the future in the first few stages of dating. You are just out there having fun and meeting new people. Future can wait. Let the relationship progress naturally. Also, a word of advice for anyone dating a single parent, we aren’t necessarily looking for an immediate co-parent, we are looking for a date – those are two very different things. Yes! It is possible to be content in a family of two. When it comes to family, it’s quality over quantity.
6) Ask your child if things get serious
Remember: having a child is an advantage and helps you sort people into a ‘worth it’ and ‘not worth it’ pile early on. Keep the door of communication between you and your child open. They are the one who is going to get highly affected by this. (You surely don’t want a Disney styled Step-parent)
Dating as a single parent isn’t an easy road to travel by. But hey! Don’t worry whether it will work or not. You will always have a permanent cuddle partner waiting for you back at home.
