it can be difficult for us men too!! I separated over 3 years ago, lost all confidence and due to my constant studying or looking after my son, I don't get out much. last time I went to a kids fun park area, inside play thing, I got funny looks from the mostly mums there, the few dads there were with their wives/partners but there were many women on their own with the kids. so even a place where there are women is often a no go area, but don't give up. there are some decent blokes online, I am online but I am strange so I can see you point mojoawaol . I find I can talk to women quite easily unless I fancy them of course then it all goes screwy. my sons mum I met online, we argued about a treatment for a client, met up because we couldn't argue effectively by messenger and then got together after several months. after we split I I carried on studying and one of my tutors asked me out after I finished the module she was teaching, 15 years younger than me, my ego soared , was with her for 6 months till she disappeared, ego at rock bottom, then 7 months ago, met a lady from the ukraine who has a 6 year old boy. ego back up there again. she went back to ukraine for the summer as her son was a bit homesick for his grandparents and I am not sure she is coming back, ego knackered again, for me, with a child of my own, a mum with a kid is not too daunting, for a bloke without kids, an instant family is a bit, well, umm, maybe too much responsibility and with a bloke who has no kids, who doesn't know the joy of kids (only the tales of being tied down, tiredness, sex life interupters etc etc etc) the idea may be that he will not have this gorgeous woman to himself and will have to share!! (no, it is true sometimes .
trouble is for the genuine blokes on dating sites, if you do not mention the kids then spring it on him later, often you will find, he will think that you have lied to him and wonder what else you have lied about and become wary of you.
and be careful not to say I want a shag, it may be true and may be easier for women to say such things than it is for men (last time I said that I got slapped and I had been going out with the woman for 3 months at that stage and gawd knows its true again now) but it may also attract the casual bloke not looking for anything other than a quickie, ok if thats what you are after, but these are usually the sleaseballs women moan about!!
just re read this and think I may have painted a bleak picture for you???
not my intention, I suppose I mean maybe stop looking? all 5 of my last relationships have come when I gave up stopped looking and if you go speed dating etc, go there thinking it is a bit of fun, never know, the man of your dreams may be around the corner (fingers crossed for you)