How to Date as a Single Parent

Dating is a great way to remain sociable and to stay in the loop of things but can be difficult to do as a single parent of young children. Single parents can not just jump right into dating like their counterparts without children. The parent child relationship consists of a delicate balance and should not be disturbed because of rushed dating. This does not mean that single parents must never date (because this is not healthy for the mind and spirit) but it means that parents should take a careful approach to dating. Below are some ways for single parents to date without harming the parent child relationship.

Avoid introducing every friend to your child. When you start dating you should only introduce your children to that one friend that you are truly serious with. For instance, when you first start dating you may find that you go through meeting a handful of individuals. These individuals will come and go because the two of you may not mesh well. If things have been going particularly well with your new friend for at least 9 months then you should introduce him/her to your children. You only want to introduce your children to someone that has been consistent with you for a few months. Introducing your child to every friend you meet will create a sense of imbalance and confusion in the child's atmosphere. Only introduce your children to someone that you are serious with and that is serious with you.

Make sure that you introduce your friend as your friend and not as your girlfriend or boyfriend. Your friend may be much more than a friend to you but you should never let your children catch on to this when you first introduce your partner to them. If you introduce your partner as more than a friend you might upset your children. They may feel as though you have betrayed them. Let your children meet your friend in a social setting where a lot of people frequent. You can sit over lunch or spend a day at a fun park. Watching your partner spend time with your children will give you a great sense of how well your partner interacts with your children. If your partner finds your children annoying, this should be a clear sign to you that he or she is not the one for you. Remember that your children should be your priority and you may have to put your desires for love on the backburner.

After the initial introduction slowly incorporate your partner to family outings at least once a week and no more than twice a week. You want your children to slowly form a relationship with your partner and this will not happen if you force your partner into your children's lives at an uncomfortable pace.

Do not let your friend know where you live. You should avoid letting your new friend know where you live, this is in the best interest of you and your children. This is a person that you have just met. You do not know much about them so you should not invite them into your private life right away. Your friend may appear very kind, gentle, and sweet but you never truly know if this image is a façade. Do not be gullible. Entrance into your private life should be a privilege and something that this friend earns. Once you know a great deal about your friend's background and life style and feel comfortable around them you can start considering whether or not you want him or her to know where you live. It is completely legal to run background checks on individuals. You should check to see if your partner has been involved in any child abuse cases or if his name is listed on the sex offender list. There is a lot of footwork that you will have to do. Be aware of your friend's family, friends, and hang outs. If your friend's family members or friends tell you to stay away from him or her, don't let their caution fall on deaf ears they might know something that you do not know.

Avoid letting your friend sleep over at your house! This is very important. You should avoid letting your friend sleep over your house. Your home is not just your home it is your children's safe haven. Your friend may be seen as an intruder in the home if you allow him/her to sleep over. This will upset and maybe even scare your children. You should take considerable caution when allowing your partner to sleep over. Sleep overs should not take place unless the two of you have been together for some time and are very serious.

Avoid going out with your friend every night. Remember that your family is your priority and you never want your children to feel overlooked, abandoned, or neglected. You may be head over heels for this particular person but you need to limit the amount of time that you spend with your friend. Do not go out with your friend every night. You should not go out with your friend more than two times a week.