Dating Single Dads (MNers without children)

[NeonSoda]

This is a thread for MNers without children. Not MNers who have had children and they’ve grown up and left your house. Just MNers without children.

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If you’re committed to being childfree, what are your expectations around dating single dads?

Is it something you simply won’t do?
Do you need to see that he’s being a good parent and carrying half the parenting load?
Do you set firm boundaries around not seeing his children or are you open to seeing his children and hanging out with them?

Man here, so I wouldn't date a single dad.
Dating a single mum? Nope, sorry.

Why?

Sure it's "Technically" not my child and i could "technically" nope out whenever i wanted, but if I like the mum and it turns into something long term, then yes, I will eventually be taking on stepdad roles, the child doesn't simply cease to exist and for that reason, i don't want to do it.

shame, i'm sure there's lots of single mums out there that i would love to be with...if they didn't have children. 😫

“Technically” men can date single dads. ;-)

Yes I love children so I would be happy to date a single parent. I would love to be a stepmum.

And women can date single mums. Your OP was very heteronormative.

How so, given the OP could quite easily be a gay man from whats written?

Tbf that's fair

I’m also married, but if I was single I wouldn’t date a man with children.
the core reason is that we would both have such different values re: children and what we want in life. The dad would hopefully be a good dad, invested in his kids, maybe even solely cared for them- that’s just not want I want and I think it would cause conflict.
plus there’s the impact that a unwilling ‘step mum’ figure would have on the kids if it was to develop into a long term relationship.

I wouldn't date a single dad, if kids are with them 100% time. Like when do they even have time to date?

Not at all. I am just particularly intetested in if people would date single dads, not single mums.

Single dads have a completely different dating experience to single mums. And single dads usually come with a completely different set of responsibilities compared to single mums.

if I was interested in both I would have asked if people were willing to date single parents.

No sodding way. It would be immensely frustrating to be with someone who didn't have the same level of freedom as I do. Plus, they may end up on granddad duties later on.

I wouldn't even date anyone with grown up children, partly for the latter reason but also because there'd be a huge part of their life I simply wouldn't relate to.

@LaurieStrode Im childfree by choice and for reasons that you stated i wouldnt even date a parent if their kids were grown up because when grandchildren come along it seems to be expected that grandparents will do childcare so that would include step grandparents especially the step grandmother. Because its always the nearest woman

Nope. I don't want children in my life and I don't want to live my life around children so I wouldn't want to date a single father who was still actively "parenting". If they had grown up children, maybe.

I have no kids…
When i was single and on the dating sites he would mention his children , i would casually ask about how often he sees them and try get him to talk about there mother

Any man who spoke about the mother badly, or who wasnt committed to his children and if he didnt see them loads or fight for them in court (if needed) then he was a no go!

Fatherhood should always come first no matter what
…..
There was a guy i was getting on well with he blew his kids off to go on a date with me, when i found out, i didnt see him anymore