What is a reasonable timeframe to reply a message when dating?

[1stdatejiggyness]

I've been dating someone for all of a month. We've been on three dates and I feel it's going very well. We met online. His situation makes him a remarkable man as he is currently nursing his terminally ill 5 year old with little input from the childs mother as she moved out after an affair.

I could praise him all day for being an amazing father and human being. Obviously I know he's probably not ready for a serious relationship but I am happy to move slowly and see where things go.
Unfortunately, he doesn't communicate much and I'm not sure if he's just ignoring me whilst he dates others. He often updates his dating profile and shows as online on WhatsApp more often than not. Is that good enough reason to think he's not that interested? He's very brief with words anyway so I'm struggling to adjust to that. ie. "Yu 3?"

So should I just accept that he is dating others and be happy with a reply every other day?? Or believr he's busy being a carer to his daughter? Or should I be thinking of moving on? I'm not usually impatient but it's difficult waiting for days for a reply. I only say hi, are you ok? How's things? Stuff like that.

I probably would leave it

Yeah sorry sweet but he doesn't sound interested I would guess.

Sorry OP, i'd leave it :(

24 hours is verging on too long for a reply IMO.

I'm sorry but if you have to guess if he's interested, he's probably not.

When a man wants someone, they don't hang around.

I'd back away from that (about 3 revolutions of the circumference of the earth should do it)

He is a newly single father caring for a terminally ill five year old and he’s potentially dating multiple women? What? I know people cope in different ways but if my child was dying I might have other priorities. I don’t want to be ‘that’ person but are you sure he’s being truthful about his situation?

Afraid I’m with House and it all sounds a bit far fetched. He’s nursing a terminally ill child yet is on WhatsApp all day?

I would be very cautious here.

I also agree with House, all sounds a bit suspect!

I think it’s odd he’s dating at all. Are you sure he’s not lying?

If he’s nursing a terminally ill 5 year old, how has he the emotional head space to be dating multiple women ?

I would step away. Either his head is up his arse and he’s not behaving rationally or he’s a liar.

Within 24 hours is the usual but he does have his hands full & everyone is different.

I'm glad you are taking it slow, he has a lot on his plate. Sounds like a good guy. However it may come to nothing so don't put all eggs in one basket.

I agree, something sounds off OP re his situation.

Replying to messages should be within the day IMO.

I don't know whether he's lying about his situation or not, but if he is caring for an ill child then I expect he is not working and doing a lot of sitting around. I've never spent more time on social media than when I was caring for an ill parent. I can well imagine he's spending a lot of time online. Unfortunately I also think that means that he should be able to reply to you a little more promptly, and probably isn't that interested.

This does not sound right at all. There is no way a single parent looking after a terminally ill child would be dating. I've been that lone parent caring for a terminally ill child. I couldn't leave his side let alone have the energy to date. I hardly had the energy to call friends.

I would bet that he is lying.

I don't know if he's lying, and/it to what degree. People are strange, it could be a distraction. Either way, he isn't interested enough and you know this deep down.

Move on :)

I am shit at replying.
I can take days as well.
But.... that's when I'm not really that interested.
Keep yourself out there.
Go on other dates.
Is he telling the full truth about his life?

Thanks for your replies. Quite certain he's not lying. He has 60 hours a week where he has a nurse to provide specific care for his daughter. I've been with him discussing homecare arrangements with the nursing agency. He's gone into detail you can't really make up.
It also took him alot of courage to tell me this so early on and he expected me to run a mile.
He said from his first message he doesn't like to message much. His 11yr old daughter has a phone so I'd like to assume he's online communicating with her.
However, like someone said, if he's into me, he wouldn't let days go by without calling. He's messaged me today saying he tried calling yesterday. Again, he didn't try very hard as I had no missed calls. I told him I'll call later. Not sure where we can go if I have to wait so long.As someone said, he's probably dating as a distraction. I felt this was understandable but not when you're the other person, potentially looking for something more serious.

In all honesty he probably isn't in the frame of mind right now to contemplate a relationship. He could perhaps have seen you as a person to talk to about his situation. I would withdraw personally. His situation is going to get really heavy and its a lot to take on in a new relationship. I'm sure he has friends and family around him to lookout and be there for him when times get hard.

It does all sound a bit strange.

Either way he’s clearly not in a place where he can dedicate enough time to you and I would walk away.

Sorry OP but you've known him for just one month and been on only three dates. You can't know that he's telling you the truth and it's quite easy to tell lies if you're a liar.

You're already gushily praising him and really, you have no idea what he's doing. Don't be sucked in to this.

Walk away. Now.

This all sounds very strange