I'm in my late 40s and I live in London. Just coming out of a (same sex) marriage that ended really bad, having found out the guy I was married to also had a relationship in parallel with another man for several years. But that is a different story.
Following all this, somehow trying to recover from the trauma of it all, I have been told to "get out there", meet new people, and try and find new things in my life. I have been reflecting upon what might give me some happiness in my life. I think one thing is to do something for kids, preferably in my own community. I think I have somehow got to an age where I have got some sort of paternal instinct awakened. I sometimes look at the kids of a family when outside and think that even though I have never had kids myself it would be nice if I could somehow use my life experience and resources to do something nice for them. I don't really want to be granddad, nor someone's substitute dad...perhaps more of a big brother?
I just don't know what to do and how. All I know is that so far in my life I have not been responsible for any kids yet I feel I have some sort of paternalistic instinct.
I thought about placing an ad in a few places but whatever I say there would just come out wrong and sound creepy. Although there may be stressed out parents who would love me to take their kids off them for 3 hours a week, it can all just be interpreted in a very wrong way.
Guess I am looking for suggestions as to what I can do. I have a nice stable job which is paid well and is very flexible, have lots of life experience, and the few times when I have been with someone else's kids they have always remarked I am good with them.
So..what would you do....?