To ask you to give me hope if you ever stopped being a single parent and that side of life worked out in the end?

[Hopelessda]

Just that really. I am so sad I haven’t had the usual family set up. I feel very alone, late thirties too so probably won’t ever have more dc, which limits finding someone new

I am fine alone and cope well day to day. Just would love to share my life with another adult.

My SIL was your age, with two kids, when she married my dB. Twenty years on, they are all very happy.

I have met my dp a few years ago and I’ve got dc and I’m late 30s and we are trying for a baby.

Thank you both so much @Ketzele @MrBigsCat it is a comfort to know all is not lost just yet

I was a single parent for a few years. Met DH and now been married nearly 26 years

I met DP when I was 39 & a single parent. My kids think the world of him & we're getting married next month. We met through mutual friends (I've never done OLD - too scary for me!!)
I honestly never thought I'd be in a serious relationship again but you never know what's round the corner.

Not me, but my mum met my ‘step’dad when I was two. It was kind of love at first sight and they moved quite fast, got pregnant with my sister, moved in and got married all within a year. They’ve been married for 25 years.

I’m a single parent myself and have been since my son was born, so I think my parents ‘love story’ gives me hope that it can happen.

I am the same age and come to the conclusion i will probably get old alone. Its a sobering thought that gets harder as my dd gets older into mid teen years.

I got married again. He’s amazing. But the step parenting and all the added stress and drama sometimes has me longing for my little house and my single life.

Thank you for the replies xx

I’d been a single parent for almost a year and I met DP. We both have kids. Not in a position to have more (I was 41 when we met, he was 44. I’d had fertility problems in my 30s so had concluded it wouldn’t happen past 40). DP didn’t want more kids either. In some ways that helps, less pressure to move forward. We’ve been together 18 months, we have a lovely balance of weekends together without kids and some time with the kids. We get opportunity to do nice stuff like dinner out, gigs together..
Moving in together would be complicated because we live about an hour apart and we are both tied in to mortgages for a couple more years but there’s no rush. There’s definitely hope for your future!

Married my hubby who has 3 kids and have stepped up as " evil stepmom" ( I put rules in place.. ) it's working out well

I had a horrendous breakup and divorce from my first husband, met my new amazing DH a year later, we’ve been together 7 years and married for almost one! We took it very slow and I didn’t introduce him to DD for quite a while, but now he’s the best SD we could hope for.

Maybe this sounds cringey, but if your heart is open and ready then you’ll find love again x

I have been a single parent now for 6 years and unfortunately do think this is my life now. I’m 41 and can’t see any romance happening - dating isn’t an option when you have children and an ex who doesn’t pull his with childcare.

Having been both, I would say they are pros and cons in both single parent and married

I’m a single parent now and tbh wouldn’t change it. It was hard when the kids were smaller, and esp during Covid, but now they are a teen and a tween I’m not looking to change it.

If I ever did live with someone else again (unlikely) it would be after the kids have left home

I was divorced with 3 young DC (3, 4, 7) when I met DH at age 38. We're 22 years in and very happy.

I almost stayed with my abusive ex becuase I'd always promised myself that my children wouldn't grow up in a broken home like I did. But an abusive one isn't any better.
Accepted that I would be a single parent with an abusive ex forever.

Met DP. fuck me that man is incredible. The most calm, patient man, he is incredible with DS. he was out at 6am this morning on a bike ride before work, DS said I wasn't allowed becuase it's just "DS and DP time". He has stood up for me to ex, and put boundaries in place so I'm safe, he treats DS as his own, as do his whole family, they sent him Christmas and Easter presents. We have a solid beautiful family, we are building a new big house. If you'd have told me 2 years ago this would be my life I'd think it a cruel joke. DS sees his dad who has had to step up and pull himself together for DS and he has a lovely stable home with us.

Lone parent for 14 years.
Met DP 6 years ago.
He has a DS I have a DD
All good.

Although I was happy being single and did think it was my life but I was surprised.

In fact I worked hard at being really happy in my own skin and company. Focussed on work, my kid, family and friends. DP came along at a time I genuinely wouldn't have been bothered about partnering up or not.

Met my DP at 39 in my local pub. 4 years on, I’m blissfully happy. He’s honestly the kindest, loveliest person I’ve ever known. We don’t live together through choice, my DC think he’s great but they also like it being just us at home. He is just about to buy a house near me.

OP there is hope, and someone out there for everyone. I was a single mum for over 12 years. I already had two children from a previous ‘failed’ relationship, and I bought my two children up alone, as their father is useless, always has been and still is to this day. I didn’t think I’d ever meet anyone again, and used to say to myself daily ‘who’d want me’ I was alone, like you and craved to share my life with someone new. I eventually started a new job and met my current partner, who is now my husband. We’ve been together 10 years and married 2 years this year. We are soul mates. We’ve had two children together and moved house 3 times. It can happen OP. Don’t give up hope and always believe in yourself. You will find your soul mate when you least expect it, like I did. Keep smiling and enjoying time with your babies and things will happen for you. All the very best x

Always keep hope, life and the universe is a funny thing and will also throw you things you never dreamed of. You tell god your plans he will listen and laugh cause we never really know what’s going to happen. My mother was single majority of her adult life except for small relationships here and there including my father - was more than happy and prepared to do single mum life alone, found her soulmate in her mid thirties and didn’t marry until her mid fourties, marrying someone 15 years her junior who never for a second cared about the idea of no more kids, I don’t think she could ever imagine life solo anymore - it will happen for you, the exciting part is you will never know when!

So single mum since 2019, watching a social media app on my phone, commented on a random man's video as I thought he was good looking, he messaged me, we chatted, that was in June 2023 and now I've moved to a different county with my kids and we live together (he has 1 DS) completely random and love at first sight, I was 42 and so was he so keep faith my lovely, I always thought i would be single forever!

I met my DP when my DC were upper Primary ages, I'd been a single parent for about 6 years. We don't live together and lead quite separate lives in some ways but it works for us. I never expected to meet anyone, you never know what may happen.

I got married again at 48. My DS lives with us.

Sending hand hold, OP. I remember the feeling you have very well, and used to love hearing how it worked out for others.
I was a single parent for 10 years, and have the most beautifully supportive loving partner. It will happen OP.
I don’t want to say to you the same thing everyone said to me as it drove me around the bend! But I really did find someone when I had decided I wouldn’t look any longer. Keep your head high, and never settle.