Dating a Single Parent

According to statistics by  Gingerbread, a charity that supports single parents, there are approximately two million single parents in the UK. This equates to approximately one in four families. In Ireland, the One Family charity also estimates that one in four families is headed by a single parent.

This means that the chances of either being a single parent, or dating a single parent are pretty high. So what should you consider when dating a single parent who has children at home?

Be flexible

If you are looking to date someone who has children at home, then you can’t just spring a last-minute date upon them and expect them to magic childcare out of nowhere. Try to plan dates well in advance and be prepared to re-arrange your date if something urgent pops up.

Enjoy your independence

Someone with children isn’t likely to want to spend every spare minute with you, which means that dating a single parent is a great option for people who value their own independence and don’t want to rush straight into living with someone.

Don’t rush to meet their family

If you absolutely adore children, you might be keen to meet with your date’s family early on in the relationship. However, it is important to find out how stable your relationship is before becoming part of other people’s lives as well. It would be unsettling for the children if they really enjoy spending time with you and then the relationship breaks down.

Don’t rule out the idea of having children

Just because someone already has children from a previous relationship, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t want to have more children in the future. You might not get to experience the ‘firsts’ together, but they will still be firsts with you.