Tips on Dating to Prepare You and Your Child

Dating can be complex enough without being a parent.  When you add children; there are so many other things to consider.   These tips are recommended by professionals who offer dating advice for single parents. PreparationYou can begin to prepare your children for your new social endeavors by going on outings alone. Hire a dependable sitter for your children and go out.  You can start small and go have coffee, go to a bookstore or similar activity.  This will get your children accustomed to your being away for brief periods.  Gradually increase the amount of time you are gone.  When you do decide to go on a date; it will not be such a shock to your children.Me, Myself & I Take care to take care of yourself.  This is sound dating advice for single parents.  Investing time in you builds your self esteem and well being.  This will boost your confidence and your ability to take care of your children as well.  Taking care of yourself also demonstrates the time, energy and effort you are willing to invest in relationships and things that are important to you.  Showing that you have self respect and expect to be respected can deter unwanted attention from those that might not be desirable dating partners.    SocializingBroaden you friendship circle.  Make an effort to deepen existing friendships and develop new ones.  Places that offer opportunities for this include work colleagues, community settings, church, and singles groups, to name a few.  Many social activities are listed in the community section of your local paper.  Working on friendships helps you to sharpen social skills that may have been neglected in the past.  You do not necessarily need to have getting dates as your focus or goal; but the social contacts may give you future avenues for dating.InventoryProfessionals who offer dating advice to single parents recommend taking an inventory of yourself and your feelings.  A journal may be helpful with this.  While taking stock of your feelings; explore any negative feelings about past relationships you may have.  In order to gain a fresh start; letting go of anger, bitterness or similar feelings is in your best interest.  If you encounter obstacles with this; seeing a therapist who specializes in dating advice for singles may prove helpful.Discuss DatingBegin having conversations with your children about your dating.  Your child’s age will be a determining factor in how much detail you will need to give them.  Remember all the single parent dating advice: Younger children need reassurance that you will still be there to meet their needs.  Older children may require additional reassurance that you are not trying to replace the other parent.  Typically, the older the child, the more complex the conversations will be.  If you do not know or are not ready to answer some of their questions; that is okay.  Opening honest lines of communication with your children is the goal.  Whether you are only looking to build friendships or considering marriage, your honesty can strengthen the parent child relationship in the future.