Dating & The Single Parent - Where Do You Meet Your Date?

One of the challenges of a single parent looking for a new relationship is how to go about meeting the right sort of person. The first issue to deal with, is what to do with your child or children during the process. Should you take them with you, or should you leave them at home with a babysitter? Should you keep quiet about them, or should you shout it from the rooftops that you are a single parent? Leave them at home with a babysitter, but make no bones about the fact that you are a single parent.

There is nothing to be ashamed of in being a single parent, but there are some practical difficulties to overcome first. It is difficult to have a romantic first date with a three-year-old in tow. That’s not to say you can’t do it, but as all parents know, their children like to be the center of attention at all times, which could make things rather awkward. Unless your potential partner also has a three year old in tow, and you have already agreed that the best place for that romantic first date is MacDonald’s with a ball pen. Having said that, one good place for meeting people is by arranging a play date for your young child with another single parent.

If you have young children that you take to school, you probably already know who else is in the same situation as yourself. With over fifty percent of American marriages ending in divorce, there is most likely a fair selection to choose from.

But what if you are interested in meeting someone outside of your current social circle?

Online dating services offer a valid, well-tried solution. One of the advantages of using an online dating service is the fact that you will already have announced that you are a single parent, and are only going to be introduced to other people who are interested in finding someone with children. You will never be faced with the awkward situation of telling someone that you have children only to receive a cold stare. They already know. As I said before, there is nothing to be ashamed of in being a single parent, but some people find it unappealing in a potential partner. On the other hand, others find it attractive. This is where the online dating service comes into play.

It is an interesting way of meeting new people without having to keep any secrets. If you are honest in your profile, anyone who finds you interesting will already know your situation, and have decided that it is an appealing one. It takes a lot of the risk and hard work out of going through the process of finding someone.

If you factor in the cost of a babysitter in your quest for a new partner, there is probably little to choose in cost between the two. But the one advantage of an online dating service is the fact that they are open twenty-four-seven. You are free to look, surf and generally take your time making a decision after little Jimmy or Caroline has gone to bed. They are not subjected to meeting a new stranger without you first being able to go through a rigorous series of tests that will decide whether or not this is someone you might like as a partner. All from the comfort of your own home.

Most of the services will allow you to make safe contact with any potential partners, through the site, without any commitment on your part until you are certain they are of interest.

It is probably the safest way of finding someone, and certainly offers a greater choice than anywhere else. Literally millions of people have already signed up for a service like this and you would never be able to meet and vet that many people in the outside world. Give it a try, you never know what you might find.

By Judy Porter