Everybody needs romance – even parents. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to forge meaningful relationships with people while simultaneously taking care of your children. It’s also worth noting that some people make an active effort to avoid parents when they are looking for dates. However, just because dating as a dedicated parent is difficult does not for a second mean that it is impossible. This post explains some of the ways parents can get ahead in the dating game. Read on to find out how to reinvigorate your love life.
Date Online
As a parent, finding the time to do something as simple as showering can be difficult. So, it’s not surprising that most single parents struggle to meet people. A great way to streamline dating is to do it online. By dating online, you eliminate the stress of putting yourself out there but still get to meet new people. The best thing about online dating is that you can advertise your status as a parent on your profile, and if people don’t want to date somebody with children, they won’t message you. This means you don’t have to worry about people shattering your hopes of a relationship with them when they discover you are a parent. All in all, online dating is the best option for parents, especially since no real effort has to be made to use an online dating site. You simply log in, view your matches, and start talking.
Be Open
Openness is important. As mentioned above, one of the main reasons single parents find it difficult to meet romantic partners is because many people find the idea of raising somebody else’s children unappealing. While casual dating is not usually a problem, finding a serious partner can be difficult. If you are using a dating site, you should be clear that you are a single parent. People who aren’t interested in dating a parent will then completely skip you, while people who are open to the idea will match with you. It’s worth noting that you don’t necessarily have to advertise your status as a parent if you co-parent or they live with your partner.
This is because your children likely won’t be around as much as they would if they lived with you full-time, and therefore, your being a parent does not have an impact on your ability to date.
Find Time
One of the main difficulties single parents encounter is finding the time to date. If you are the sole carer for your children, it’s highly likely you have put dating off because you don’t have the time to dedicate to finding a new partner. However, did you know that by combining online dating and childminding, you can easily find a romantic mate? Simply use online dating to find people that interest you, then hire a childminder and pay them to look after your children while you go out on dates. This post will explore childminding in more detail later on. In terms of finding the time without a childminder, consider asking your co-parent to help you. If that is not possible, you could ask a loved one to come and watch them. Failing that, you could always bring your children along, provided your dates are comfortable with that.
Self-Care
If you want to find a romantic partner, you need to take care of yourself. Nobody is going to want to date you if you are a mess. A good way to take better care of yourself is to build a healthy routine, i.e., you wake up and go to bed at the same time each night. A healthy routine can improve your appearance and your physical and mental health. Forming a routine if you have never stuck to one before can be difficult, but it is possible. There are a number of guides and articles you can use online that teach you to build and stick to routines. As well as a routine, consider investing in skincare products and vitamins. Skincare products and vitamins can boost your health and massively improve the way you look, which is a plus if you want to hit the dating scene.
Childminding
As mentioned above, finding the time to get out and meet people can be difficult. If you use online dating sites to find matches, you can then hire a childminder and pay them to look after your children while you are out. It is very important to shop around and find the best childminder you can. A childminder’s reviews can help you to decide if they are the right choice for you. Make sure the childminder you hire has a license, too.
If you are unable to pay somebody to look after your children, an alternative is to ask a loved one to. If you are going to, you should find a way to compensate them, i.e., buying them dinner or taking them out for a day of fun. If you are going to ask a loved one to help you, don’t get into the habit of asking all of the time, as this will put them off.
Involve Kids
Finally, if you are going on a date with somebody who has kids of their own or who is comfortable with you being a parent, you may want to bring your children with you. However, it is worth noting that you should not take your children with you on your first date. Your first date is an opportunity for you to get to know your potential romantic partner, so your children shouldn’t be there. As you get more comfortable with them, however, you could consider inviting them to your house so they can spend time with you and your children. Only invite people to your house or introduce them to your children if you are confident that they are safe, responsible, and, more importantly, kind. Do not allow strangers or unpredictable people into your home or around your kids.
Dating as a parent can be difficult, but it is possible. If you want to find a romantic partner, hopefully, the guidance given here will help you to find somebody. Make sure that you find the best dating site you can and that you get to know people before you introduce them to your loved ones.