{"id":17310,"date":"2018-08-30T01:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-08-30T08:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datemixstaging.wpengine.com\/?p=17310"},"modified":"2022-05-23T23:46:47","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T06:46:47","slug":"dating-a-single-mom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/dating-advice\/dating-a-single-mom\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Things to Know When Dating a Single Mom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you\u2019re dating a single mom<\/a>, you\u2019re signing up for something serious, but it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you\u2019re making a huge commitment. A single mom will always put her children before her dating life, as she should. Her kids are going to be the most important thing in her life, her biggest priority. You need to be respectful of her life, her children, and her time. But, depending on her situation, she may also have a lot of freedom and time to dedicate to you and your relationship. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re dating a single mom, here are a few things you can do to make the relationship fun and lasting:  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be flexible.
\n<\/b>A mom\u2019s time is precious to her. If you\u2019re dating someone with kids, something will come up. She may have to cancel a date because a kid is sick or there\u2019s an emergency at school. Or there may be certain days of the week that don\u2019t work for her and her schedule at all. If you want the relationship to work you\u2019ll need to be a more understanding and flexible, than you would be otherwise. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be creative.
\n<\/b>Some date idea might not work well when you are dating a single mom. If you\u2019re used to a nice dinner out and then a late night at a bar with lots of wine and drinks, you may have to let go of that dream. Not for every night, but for the majority of them. If the person you\u2019re dating has kids, and she\u2019s raising them by herself, she may not have the bandwidth to stay up late. It\u2019s important to branch out and be creative with your date suggestions. Give up your signature date ideas for something less time-consuming that\u2019s more flexible, and save the big nights out for when she doesn\u2019t have the kids waiting at home.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be pushy.<\/b>
\n<\/span>Let\u2019s say you really like this woman and can\u2019t wait to be a bigger part of her life. Depending on your personality, you may or may not be super excited to meet her kids. Regardless of how you feel or what you want, it\u2019s important to not be pushy when it comes to integrating yourself into her life. Meeting someone\u2019s kids is a really big deal. Most single parents don\u2019t want their children getting attached to someone they\u2019re dating until they are sure it\u2019s going to work out, or at least last for a considerable amount of time. Don\u2019t push to meet her kids or spend more time with them until she and the kids (and potentially her ex) are ready for that. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get used to her ex being around.<\/b>
\n<\/b>\u201cSingle\u201d mom only means that she\u2019s currently not partnered, it doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s no ex in sight. If the other parent is around he or she needs to be considered and respected as well, regardless of what happened at the end of the relationship. As a new partner, it\u2019s not your place to defend or disrespect her ex. Hopefully, it\u2019s a positive relationship now and everyone gets along. But even if it isn\u2019t, it\u2019s not your place to push back against his or her presence.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t play parent.<\/b>
\n<\/b>Disciplining someone else\u2019s kids is usually pretty inappropriate. As you naturally get to know these kids, be aware of your role in their life. These children already have one or two parents in their lives and they don\u2019t immediately need another. In the future, if you and their mother move in together or get married, and your role is more parental, you can assist in laying down the rules and boundaries. But only then, and only after a serious discussion and plan with your partner and her ex. It\u2019s not your place to discipline. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be supportive.<\/b>
\n<\/b>Single moms have a lot on their plate! Besides raising children and navigating a separation, there\u2019s work, school, household chores, cooking, and everything else you can think of. Your partner is likely the emotional support for numerous people, so why not be the emotional support for her? Besides being understanding and flexible and patient, being supportive is major. She will really appreciate your support, whether it looks like a shoulder to cry on or an ear to just listen. Support is key in any relationship, but especially when dating a single mom who may be used to being everyone else\u2019s rock. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to what she wants from you.<\/b>
\n<\/span>Single moms are incredibly special, and do every and anything for their children. If you\u2019re dating a single mom, keep in mind that she may need you to be there for her in a bigger way than you\u2019re used to. Or, she may be the complete opposite, and may not want something serious from someone right now. As with any relationship, listen to the person you\u2019re with and respect their needs and wants while also making sure you\u2019re getting what you need and want out of the relationship. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re new to it, the idea of dating a single mom may seem like a big deal. But it\u2019s incredibly common. Yes, you\u2019re dating a single mom but that\u2019s not all she is. Her kids are a huge part of her life, but they\u2019re not the only part. Have fun, enjoy dating someone different and new, and see where things go.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You may think singles moms are always busy, but it may be they have a lot of free time when the kids are away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":17311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[884,977],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dating-advice","category-dating-with-kids"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n6 Things to Know When Dating a Single Mom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019re new to it, the idea of dating a single mom may seem like a big deal. 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