Dating as a lone parent

[PumpkinKlNG]

How do you date as a lone parent with no support? I’ve been single for 5 years and I’m only 32, I feel to young to say this is it forever, I don’t really want to wait until my kids grow up and move out as by then I will be in my 40s and I know it will be much harder to meet someone then. How do others seem to manage it?

No advice but bumping for you!

I do wonder how lone parents manage new relationships, it's hard enough managing the one you have after children let alone building new ones!

I have a friend who had children really young and was a single mother. I know that she didn't start dating again until her DC was in school and then when she wanted to do other dates she would get the grandmother to look after DC occasionally but I know it was really hard work for her to arrange, plus it goes on having the benefit of grandparents.

Thanks yes that’s true about grandparents. I have my mum but she would never look after them 😂 maybe in an emergency if I was dying or something but certainly not for me to have a Life.

Babysitters, babysitting circle with your mates or when the dc are at their dads.

Wish I had friends that needed babysitter their kids all see their dads so no babysitting circle going, mine don’t. So would be very one sided.

How old are the children? Do they see their Dad?

It's very tricky especially if you work full time. A benefit of wfh is that some people can meet during the day.

I used babysitters when mine were young. Do you have any friends or neighbours with older teenagers?

They don’t see their dad at all. I’m a fully lone parent. That’s where the difficulties is because I don’t get child free time like others do

Babysitters- preferably find one lovely reliable babysitter that you/your children get to know well.

I will say it also helps weed out the ‘only after one thing’/overly clingy men as they actually have to wait until next babysitting date to see you again. 😄

How old is your child/your children?

You are a young woman and it is natural that you want some male company sometimes. If you can find a good and reliable babysitter who doesn't cost the earth, there's no reason you cannot go out on dates sometimes but of course your children come first.

I laughed when you said it will be more difficult to meet someone in your forties. I can assure you it will not be! However you are a long way off that age.

Oh I definitely think it will be harder, I’m not kidding myself on that one, I think it’s harder the older you get regardless of age, 30s harder than 20s etc, there’s a dating after 40 thread I’ve seen on here talking about the struggles of dating at 40+. Kids range from 10 down to 4 (been single since pregnant)