Are single dads welcome here?

[Niceguy2]

Hi all

Not sure if I'm welcome here or not...after all, the name is mumsnet! Apologies if I'm not....

How do others cope with being a single parent? I've been a single dad for a while now. My kids are great, my job is great. The only problem I have is how do I meet other people????

Night after night I sit here with nothing but the computer to keep me sane! I need to make new friends but how?? I don't have any babysitters, I can rely on a friend occasionally but I don't like to ask for fear of imposing.

Striking up conversations with other women at school are out. They're all in little cliques and assume you're trying to chat them all up! Blokes just don't understand my position.

I've tried the whole Internet dating thing but it would seem a lot of women are put off by a single dad. Most without children don't want the hassle. Those with children......prefer men without kids. It would seem I can't win!

Surely I'm not doomed yet?? I'm only 33, have a good job, two well behaved kids. I'm surrounded by happy couples everywhere I go! Arrgh!!!

ere mascara!!!!

remember my thread that interested you?

the one about tax credits - i found a solution!!

well ask me what it is???

oh, and hello smiley

oooh, erm... I remmeber we had a chat about tax credits but you will have to remind me of the details

(sorry for hijack new boy NiceGuy2)

patience.. I wasn't just sat lurking on the thred

was the 'what do you do for extra dosh when ctc run out - kids get old but dont earn or move out'.

oh yes the

size of income to number of children ratio

actually do we need a new thread, are we spoiling a genral love in? I don't want to get called called a man hater (again) lol

oh and smiley is me right?!!
and er just asked you ie singledad a question
on another thread
but obviously are otherwise engaged lol!!

back again - darn kids!

a man hater???? erm... sure youre not

i got a massive payrise - cured the problem

and i was trying to think up a reasonable answer smiley - havent quite managed it yet tho - and i may get yelled at, often do on here

Excellent news!! well done

we have a pay free until at least next year

Good news for you!

free = freeze

hope it wasnt along the lines of
serves you right money grabbing exw!!

it wasnt no - if only life were that simple, is as good as forgotten now tho.

ok forgiven then
but do if you can answer that query for me

Hi Niceguy2

Of course you're welcome! It's "Lone parents", not mums only.

Argh, the surrounded-by-happy-couples thing. It's a bit isolating sometimes, isn't it?

I feel for you. I am fortunate to have enough support to enable me to go out with friends if I fancy it - maybe once a week/fortnight - but I too spend a fair bit of time online/reading/DVD-watching of an evening. I don't really feel lonely now like I used to - I quite like my own company most of the time - but I do feel lonely when DS is staying with his dad. Daft, really, since he's asleep of an evening anyway, when he's home!

Anyway, I'm off to bed now (and haven't read this whole thread BTW, so apologies if I'm being unoriginal here), but I wanted to say that I'm surprised you have found most single mums are after a fella with no kids. I have thought that, should I ever settle with anyone again, I'd quite like it if he had kids with whom he was involved a lot. I think it demonstrates being at ease with and able to enjoy kids - and also, would provide only-child and cousin-less DS with some step-siblings! So maybe I can't talk for everyone, but I wouldn't let that put you off.

I'm knackered - night.

mumsnet is only called so because it was started by mums, but it is for parents of both gender