Straightforward Single Parent Dating Tips

This is highly subjective, so I will take on larger issues and resist going over finer points. If you can navigate high level issues, you’re well on the way to successful relationships where a child is involved.

First, the main consideration should be placed on the child. If you are not interested in having children around on a daily basis, date someone that is childless.

Next, be honest with yourself about what you will accept when it comes to children. If the parent does a poor job, resist thinking you can step in and solve the situation. Notions that there are broken families that need fixing is the sort of altruism better suited to the Salvation Army.

For the person dating someone with a child, be realistic. All relationships can lead to marriage, so you will be marrying the parent and the child. To think that you can marry one without the other is a big mistake. When children are involved, emotional responsibilities can be greater than financial. You may not be the biological parent, but there is no way to avoid raising the child.

For the person with a child that is seeking companionship, include the child right away. Don’t shove the child into the background thinking they can be introduced later. If your ambition is to date casually, don’t involve the child.

You’ve heard that ‘opposites attract’, but consider ‘likes last’. Kids respond well to couples that get along. As products of unsuccessful marriages, their future social contracts will require all the successful tools they can get.

Last, don’t delude yourself with conflicting interests and expect a decent outcome. Don’t try to convince yourself that you can overcome problems involving children just to have a certain person on your arm. Remember, time always magnifies intrinsic problems, never lessens them.