{"id":16596,"date":"2018-05-10T01:00:18","date_gmt":"2018-05-10T08:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datemixstaging.wpengine.com\/?p=16596"},"modified":"2021-05-31T12:39:22","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T19:39:22","slug":"single-parent-dating-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/dating-advice\/dating-with-kids\/single-parent-dating-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Must-Read Single Parent Dating Advice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dating is tough at the best of times. But throw in being a parent, and things can get complicated quickly. <\/span>You\u2019re newly single, while being responsible for this whole other person. You\u2019re trying to prioritize their needs, but you\u2019ve got your own too. And how do you begin bringing the subject up when you\u2019re dating someone new? <\/span>These are common worries most single parents experience when they begin dating again.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the top pieces of advice you need to ease yourself back into dating:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Don\u2019t feel guilty.
\n<\/b>There\u2019s nothing wrong with wanting to date again when you\u2019re a single parent. It doesn\u2019t make you a bad mom or dad. In fact, a good parent, is a happy parent\u2014so you\u2019ve got to make sure you\u2019re happy. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When your child is old enough, don\u2019t feel guilty leaving them with your parents or a babysitter for a few hours so you can meet up with someone.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important you don\u2019t spend 100% of your time isolated with your child, because you\u2019re a grown up and you need the company of adults to stimulate your mind.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Be open.
\n<\/b>It\u2019s so important to be upfront about being a parent in your online dating profile, or when you first meet someone in real life. There used to be a stigma surrounding this, but there\u2019s not anymore, and you don\u2019t want to be with someone who\u2019s going to judge you for having a child anyway. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s their problem, not yours, and it actually acts as a great filter for people who are just wasting your time and aren\u2019t right for you.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Be proud of your family.
\n<\/b>You love your kids and are insanely proud of them, so why wouldn\u2019t anyone else be? Anyone would be lucky to have you and however many little ones in their life.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So be proud of the fact that you are a parent, and you have a family. That\u2019s nothing to ever be ashamed of. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Be confident.
\n<\/b>You might be nervous about dating again and don\u2019t worry because that\u2019s perfectly normal. <\/span>When you do something new, or something you haven\u2019t done in a long time, you’ll feel butterflies. Just embrace that energy, because it\u2019s a sign that you\u2019re choosing to step out of your comfort zone and continue forward with your life.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The magic happens when you face your fears and push yourself to do things you want to do but you\u2019re afraid of.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re ever in doubt, just look at all you\u2019ve accomplished when it comes to being a single parent. There was a time when you didn\u2019t know how to do any of those things, but you\u2019ve got them down now! <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you need a little extra boost\u2014try writing a list of all the reasons why someone would be lucky to date you, and read it back to yourself. <\/span>You\u2019re awesome\u2014own it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Make time for dating.
\n<\/b>Being a single parent probably means you\u2019ve got your hands full. But like all things in life, we make time for the things that truly matter to us. So don\u2019t say you\u2019re too busy to date.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to commit to anything more than a cup of coffee or a quick drink to begin with, and that\u2019s not going to take a huge chunk out of your day.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Take care of yourself physically.
\n<\/b>If you\u2019ve recently gone through a break-up, and you\u2019ve got little ones to look after, making time for yourself often ends up low on your priority list. Before you know it, you haven’t been to the gym in months.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Losing those endorphins isn’t going to make you happy in the long run, or help you feel confident when dating. <\/span>Do what you can to incorporate exercise into your daily schedule, even if it\u2019s a quick DVD workout while your child is asleep or at school. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll feel so much better, and this will show when you meet other people.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Don\u2019t think of your situation as baggage.
\n<\/b>The word baggage has a negative vibe to it, so don’t think of your family as baggage. In fact, your child has probably transformed you in so many ways for the better. Just take a few minutes to stop and think about it. <\/span>Chances are, you\u2019re way more confident and capable now than you were before. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Take things slow.
\n<\/b>There\u2019s no need to rush anything when you do start dating again. Take your time, and take things slow. You might have a tendency to want to rush back into a relationship because you crave the comfort of someone being there, but you\u2019ve got to think about your kids and how a new relationship affects them. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Don\u2019t rush introducing your new partner to your child.
\n<\/b>Children need routine and stability when growing up, and introducing someone new into their life too early can have a negative impact, especially if that person ends up leaving after having bonded with your child.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can introduce them as a friend to begin with, and avoid any public displays of affection or sleepovers until you\u2019re serious about one another. <\/span>If you can see this new person becoming a part of your family, then it\u2019s time to think about introducing them in that way to your kids.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, if your kids are teenagers, it\u2019s better to be more upfront about your situation as they\u2019re likely to guess something\u2019s going on. <\/span>And if your child ever asks you outright what\u2019s going on, always be honest about it. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The top pieces of advice you need to ease yourself back into dating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":141,"featured_media":16599,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[977],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dating-with-kids"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMust-Read Single Parent Dating Advice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are common worries most single parents experience when they begin dating again. 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