Dating As A Single Parent - How Does It Differ?

Dating can mean different things to different people. There’s nothing wrong with going the conventional route, or being swept in a whirlwind romance after meeting someone by the virtue of good fortune.

Yet sometimes, life circumstances can limit, or rather alternate what we look for from a date, what our objectives are, the time and activity we can spare to it, and of course, who we look to build connections with in the first place.

Anyone who has dated as a single parent knows this more intimately than most. That’s quite understandable, of course, but it does beg the question - exactly how does this differ? After all, being a single parent hardly means you have to “take what you can get” or apologize for having children beforehand. There’s nothing wrong with that in the slightest.

That said, any decision you make about letting someone into your life, will, of course, need to be suitable for your children, too. So, let’s consider how to format your dating approach with that in mind:

Consider What You Want

There’s nothing wrong with just having fun with a nice person. But it’s also important to consider what you want to get out of the dating process. It might be that you met someone nice at your friend’s wedding, and just want to speak to them more. That’s perfectly valid. If someone has been introduced to you via a relative, then perhaps you can give it a shot.

When you’re a single parent, you tend to be more serious about what your goals are though, for instance, the moment you feel as though you’re being messed around, you’re under no obligation to control it. Single-parent dating is often better because you know who you are and what you deserve - either someone who could contribute to your wellbeing and be a mutual ally, not someone who will waste the best of you.

Set Your Filters

You’re generally more, not less picky when it comes to bringing someone new into your life and the household. With dating profiles set you can also achieve this via longform online dating platforms, not swiping apps like Tinder.

For instance, you can set your age limit, income, interests and location so that the people who talk to from the start will match your criteria, and they yours. Don’t apologize for having these preferences, they are yours to set.

The Value Of No-Obligation Fun

Heading out for a nice meal and a glass of wine with someone pleasant is reward enough. As we’ve said above, you know what you want when you’re dating as a parent, but rather than solely mutual attraction, dating becomes about a meeting of minds, of values, of perspectives, experiences, principles and life situations.

There’s nothing shameful about dating someone interesting because of this, as dates could lead to relationships, but they can also lead to platonic, friendly relationships. In many cases, dating other single parents, of which there are many, will avoid any burdensome worry you have, even if you’re never a burden.

So - don’t feel bad about no-obligation, light fun. It’s absolutely your right to enjoy.

With this advice, you’re sure to see that single parent dating can be just as enjoyable, if not more so, than your experience years ago.

*Contributed by Sam Jones. Photo Pexels - CC0 License