- Dating a Divorced Parent: How Can We All Stay Connected?
- 9 Rules for Parents Interested in Dating After Divorce
- Dating a Divorced Parent: How Can We All Stay Connected? - The Good Men Project
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I've been writing my own dating rules they're more like guidelines since jumping back into the dating pool after a year marriage. Here's what I've got so far.
Dating a Divorced Parent: How Can We All Stay Connected?
Don't bring home strange men for sleepovers when you've got the kids. No child has ever woken up, seen a strange man in a towel smoking in the kitchen, and thought, "Oh goody!
Mom got some well-deserved sweet action last night. I am totally OK with this! Maybe, once you're in a long-term, committed relationship, and your kids have gotten to know your boyfriend or whatever you call him in other contexts, and you've given your kids fair warning, then it will be all right. But bringing home the flavor of the week on a night when you've also got the kids is just a terrible idea.
More from The Stir: Don't introduce the kids to your guy until you've been dating for a long time. I don't know what my idea of a long-enough time is yet, actually. Maybe I'll just know when I know. But I don't think it's a good idea for your kids to meet a parade of paramours who move in and out of their lives.
9 Rules for Parents Interested in Dating After Divorce
Be honest with your kids about what you're doing. I think this depends on the age of your kids.
But if they're old enough to know what dating is, I think they should know it's something you're doing. It helps them to see you as a whole person, and it prepares them for the possibility I mean, who knows, it could happen that you'll eventually have a relationship with someone new. They don't need to know you're if having sex, of course.
Dating a Divorced Parent: How Can We All Stay Connected? - The Good Men Project
But it's good to open up those lines of communication. Make sure your kids know they're still your number-one priority. You don't want your kids to feel like you've forgotten them, or you're replacing them, or you love anyone more than you love them. Dating can be awfully distracting, but parenting is one part of your life where you should be as fully present as possible. Be upfront with your dates about being a parent. I don't think it should be the focus of a date, but that information should be out there.
Other people appreciate knowing.
Being a parent is a huge part of your identity -- hiding it will backfire. Here's what parents who date during a divorce need to know. Keeping the kids top of mind through the process of rediscovering yourself. From finding the time to finding the right person, get seven smart tips from our single parent dating pros.
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Parents may not want to be married anymore, but for the sake of their kids, they should always be partners. Children can become anxious if their parent starts dating. The key is to keep your dating life separate from life with your child. It's inevitable, folks--us single mamas are going to start dating again.