Dating and the Single Parent

The world today is vastly different than it was in the 1950s. During that era, people rarely got divorced because it just wasn’t the thing to do. Couples stayed together whether they were happy or not. In the typical family, the husband went to work every day while the wife stayed at home and ran the house and looked after the children. This isn’t the typical family today.

A family today can consist of a father, mother and children, two mothers and children, two fathers and children, a mother and children, a father and children, or blended families that include step-parents and step-children. It’s the single parents that have the most interesting issues when it comes to dating. There are so many things they need to consider because there ARE children involved.

To begin with, if you have young children, you’ll need to be selective about whom you start going out with. Until you’re certain that this relationship may be going somewhere, it’s probably best not to have your children meet your new partner. If you’re dating a very nice person with domestic instincts, chances are your children will become attached to that person. If things don’t work out, you and your ex won’t be the only ones that will be hurt by a break up. Therefore, it’s usually best to keep your dating away from the kids at first.

In addition, as a single parent, you’ll need to make sure that the person you’re dating is safe. The last thing you want to do is bring home a child molester or other criminal and have that person around your children. Of course, hopefully you wouldn’t knowingly be dating someone like that.

However, when you do meet someone that you really connect with and the relationship seems to be moving in a really good direction, there will come a time when you’ll probably want to have sex with that person. Sexuality isn’t quite as guarded as it was in years past. It’s actually rather open these days, but that doesn’t mean you want your young and impressionable child walking in on you having sex with someone. So you’ll need to be very careful with that.

Depending on the age of your child or children, you may be able to have sex at your home.  A baby or toddler probably isn’t going to even realize what’s going on if you have someone spend the night. An older child, on the other hand, will certainly realize that SOMETHING is going on whether they know exactly WHAT it is or not. Teenage kids are going to be impossible to hide your behavior from no matter where you’re having sex.

The best idea when you have older kids is to stay overnight at home of the partner that doesn’t have children living there. If that’s not the case for either of you, then another option is to head out of town to a hotel. When you’re gone overnight, your teenagers will most likely know what you’ve been up to, but at least it won’t be flaunted right in their home.

If you become very close to someone, that’s the time to introduce them to your children. In that case, it’s not as likely that this person will be leaving their lives any time soon. In fact, they may even become a permanent part.

Dating sites for single parents are a great way to meet others who share your concerns and values when it comes to dating.  Check out Single Moms and Dads and start meeting compatible singles today!