Ten Important Dating Tips for Single Parents

Everyone deserves to be loved again even if they once fall out of love. People who have once fallen out of love especially single parent find it difficult to re-establish a relationship. The trauma of their past keeps on resounding, which makes them feel such will reoccur even if they dated again.
Single parenting does not only result from a divorce or a relationship gone bad but also death. Someone can lose a partner would have to cater for their children alone. With this, they look for support in order to successfully bring up the kids and this challenging for both sexes. As women would want a father for her children so do men also look for mothers for children. It is always difficult to singlehandedly raise children and it has been proven that children who receive care from both parents does better. Therefore, even if death, divorce or birth out of the wedlock created the vacuum, it is better to fill it. If you are in this category, I believe the following dating tips for single parents would be of help. Nevertheless, even before you go on with your search you need to set your priorities rights in order not to get disappointed.

1. Prepare Adequately

Your first relationship may have ended due to some misunderstanding or other complicated issues. As the first one failed, you need to prepare very well as a single parent for the next relationship. Clear out all your misconceptions and never repeat the same mistakes that happened in the previous relationship. Preparing yourself and mind also means preparing your kids for their future parent. Make them know the need for a new relationship and take on board their concerns. Never imposed someone they wouldn’t love on them since that can hurt your relationship. The rejection and objections sometimes happen as you seek to date a friend already familiar to your kids.

2. Limit your expectations

Everyone has his/her own expectation during the marriage, but as a single parent, you need to limit such expectations as you already carry a luggage. Your luggage is your kids who also have their own associated problems. Compounded problems from different sources bring about frustration and the more you try to push the person to meet your expectations they may leave.

3. Eschew all guilt

Some single parents feel guilty about overburdening others with the responsibility of their kids. Another one comes up when they feel being selfish as in their bid to find a new love. This is because people may begin to see them as shedding their responsibilities of the kids to gain happiness. But remember you can remain single your entire life and even your kids also need the care of the parent to bring them up properly. Feel free whenever you want to enter into a new relationship and eschew all guilt that comes with it.

4. Never rush

The struggles, discomfort and frustration that come with being a single parent can force one to rush into another relationship. This should never be the case if you seek a lasting relationship. Rushing into a new relationship will create more harm than good and may be repeating past mistakes. Take your time, do all checks and balances, work of your flaws and you are set to go.

5. How do you start?

Getting a sustainable relationship also depends on how you met your suitor. Yes, sometimes that doesn’t matter but as a single parent really does. One disadvantage of being a single parent is that people may try to take advantage of your situation and may just come in for sexual satisfaction, especially for the women. Trust me, never search for a partner at the club or bar except you don’t seek a lasting relationship. Take your time as you do the vetting for prospective partners.

6. Time management

There can be conflicts as to where your commitment is really is as you try to date again. This resurrects as you try to figure out whom to allocate the most time to, either your children or your love. But seriously don’t lose your children to a new relationship as that said relationship can break anytime. However, the children will remain yours forever. Managing your time for each well will gain you both love without losing any.

7. Going out with another single parent

This idea almost escaped me, but trust me getting married or dating another parent is one of the best ideal situations. Since he or she is also a single parent, they understand how it feels to be in such situation hence expectations are limited. You are able to receive enough support from each other to ensure the relationship grows.

8. Never express frustrations

Yes, being a single parent is frustrating, but that doesn’t mean you should go around expression it. The frustration can get you into another mess or in the hands of a wrong person. Keep your cool, never give in to anyone who comes around and is selective in order not to get hurt.

9. Expect some resistance

It will be a dilution to think that getting into a new relationship would be welcoming idea to your children. Every child becomes jealous of his mom/dad as you try to give their space to somebody else. They will surely resist at the initial stage. Your duty now becomes making them understand why you need a partner and the fact that they won’t lose you.

10. Try to abstain for a while

I tell you what, many people would want to just have a feel of you and not because they want to be committed. Don’t let anyone who comes in your way end up with you in bed especially for the women. Many single parents get themselves into a one-night stand that ends it. Try to keep them waiting, and when you threaten to leave when you don’t open up, then know that they are just in for only one thing. If they love you as claimed, they will surely wait for the right time.

Conclusion

Distrust, hurt, memories of the past and preconceptions have made dating very difficult nowadays. This becomes even more difficult if you are a single parent, as many singles wouldn’t like the idea of dating someone who has children. However, this shouldn’t a hindrance as you seek for love, affection, security and a companion for yourself and children. Go in without fears but ensure that you put in place adequate measures so you don’t get hurt at the end.