Dating When You’re A Single Parent

By Author: Gareth hoyles
Total Articles: 122
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Single parent dating is one of the most fraught things you will probably do in the relationship with your kids, and can lead to a lot of hard feelings and upset by your children if you’re not careful. But single parent dating doesn’t need to be quite so tough, and, if handled right, can lead to a meaningful new set of relationships for you and your children, and allow you to move on with your life with ease.

Dating isn’t something you should do in secret

While instinct tells many parents that dating in secret is the best way to handle their new relationship, and while it’s a good idea to ensure that you’re not telling your kids about someone that you’ve just met, once you’ve actually established a relationship with someone, you should consider being as honest and open about them as possible. Often your children will appreciate that more than being kept in the dark. It’s also important to do so to ensure that if your ex has contact, that they’re not giving or receiving misinformation. Depending on your relationship with the other parent of your children, you may or may not want to discuss ...
... your new relationship with them, but you should ensure at least that they are aware of it.

If your ex-partner uses your relationship against you

In especially fraught relationships, single parent dating can cause issues when the ex-partner creates a problem about new partners. The most important thing here is to ensure that you stand your ground and don’t let the old partner ruin your life. Be firm and clear about lines and no not let them lie to your children about the relationship. Be aware too of any manipulation or other issues that could arise, and if in doubt, always discuss the welfare of your children with an expert. Your new partner will understand that you have to put your children first, but that doesn’t mean you have to destroy your relationship because of your old one. Your ex-partner cannot use your relationship with another person as a weapon against you, and if they try, there are ways you can address this.

Single parent dating is a complicated matter – from finding a babysitter, to ensuring your kids are protected and supported, it’s important to know how to handle everything.