Stepping out into the dating game as a single parent can be extremely daunting. No longer do you have just your own heart to consider; there are also the kids’ feelings to think about now, which can make it a pretty difficult task. The good news is that if you’re reading this, you probably do feel ready to date again – and you’re not alone.
There are many ways of meeting other single parents – be it on the school run, through friends or on holiday. But if you feel, you don’t want to leave things to chance and be more proactive, online dating might be the answer for you.
The majority of online dating websites have lots of members who are single parents, and many find online one of the easiest, safest and most convenient ways of meeting someone, without the need to pay for a babysitter (to start with at least!). In addition, dating websites exclusively for single parents have become increasingly popular over the last few years. After all there are lots of benefits to meeting a fellow single parent, such as:
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Single parents are independent and most often very resilient. They are able to take care of themselves as well as their children and can deal with most situations and issues.
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They are selfless and responsible putting their kids and potential partner before themselves (you won’t find many single parents who party, get drunk or run up a credit card bill on designer clothes, shoes or handbags!).
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Single mums and dads are more understanding. If you cancel a date because your child is sick or has an important school event, they will understand.
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They don’t play games or have the time to fool around, and are likely to be looking for a serious relationship.
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Single parents are likely to be more adaptable. They appreciate that life doesn’t always go as planned, and are willing to go out of their way for the ones they love.
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They typically don’t drift through life but have goals because they aspire to give their family the best.
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Seeing how your new partner juggles work with childcare duties and household chores will give you a pretty good idea what to expect from a long term relationship with him or her.
Initially you won’t be looking for a substitute parent for your children; you’ll be looking for someone for you. This consideration does need to be at the forefront of your mind when considering a prospective partner. However – especially if the relationship starts looking as if it could get serious, you should also consider
- how they operate as a parent,
- whether they discipline similarly and
- have a similar outlook on child raising to your own, and
- whether you employ the same techniques.
A single parent who has formulated their techniques as best they can and been single for some time is likely to be extremely wary of someone criticizing their parenting skills. If your methods are very different, then this person may not be the most appropriate for a longer-term relationship. The beauty of online dating is these things can be discovered early on, before too much time and energy is invested.
There’s no law that says you have to date another single parent, of course. There are plenty of singletons out there who don’t have kids and are also looking to find the right person. Many will be very happy to date a parent – just make sure you are upfront and let them know you’re a parent from the start. That way if they’re not interested because you have kids, neither of you has wasted his/her time.
