is it possible

[SprinklesSparkles]

Is it possible to date in this situation, ideally just wanting to hear from people that have actually been in this situation and can confirm it’s possible and they managed and how did it work? so if you have your kids full time, no ex around and no family help (don’t have money for regular sitters) then how did you managed to date again? i’ve been told by people that it’s perfectly possible to meet someone in this situation and only date during school hours, but how does that work irl from people that have been in this situation? i’m not convinced the people telling me it’s possible have actually been in this situation, how do you progress, are there many men that are ok with dating a woman with such little free time? no sleep overs, date nights , weekends away? holidays? i am not looking for a fwb i can see how it would work in that way but i would like a relationship. so has anyone been in this exact situation and actually managed to find a partner this way? is it possible?

👍

That is a cheap dinner! Add some wine and it can easily go up to 80 pp in London.

it’s been a while since i’ve been out as you can tell 🫣

The people telling you it is absolutely possible coukd make it possible by babysitting for you ? 😉 but yes it is possible but gonna be tricky to find someone only wanting to date at school time.

It wouldn't have been possible for me, no.

I dated casually when mine were younger but I was only able to do so because exh had the children EOW. And that's when I dated. No other times. I didn't have family to help and didn't have any friends close enough to ask.

Dating during the day wouldn't have been possible because the men I dated and I were at work.

I didn't have an actual relationship until my youngest was a teenager.

Not everyone lives in London though.

You can easily go out for dinner and have a couple of drinks in most places for less than £40. It depends on where you go.

If you're happy to go to Spoons, you can do it for under £20!

It depends whether your focus is on spending money and the venue or the company.

Can you have your kids friends over for a sleepover and then ask the parents to have your kids one night? That way it's free and other families benefit too.

Can you increase your network of friends and family so that you have more support regardless of whether you're dating or not?

Ah I am in London unfortunately..

my older 2 are at secondary so they make their own arrangements with friends, they don’t sleep over houses and I don’t have contact with their friends parents which is why it would be difficult to arrange that. I have family they just won’t have my kids sadly but that’s their choice and I wouldn’t expect it.

Nothing is impossible of course and you might strike lucky and find a man who is available for dating during school time hours only. However knowing the dating pool, as I do, I'm going to say it will be even more limited than it already is! As I said, not impossible. You can but try it and see.

I was lucky and had some money I could use for babysitting when the kids were younger, however it took me over 10 years to meet someone who I actually wanted to do life with and by then my kids were teenagers and could be left for the odd evening as long as I went out locally.

Can you try and find a local teenager who can be trusted to sit for you? Ask around for recommendations. I'm willing to bet they won't charge £15 an hour!! I used sitters.co.uk and their rates weren't as high as that.

Light-hearted suggestion: only date high-income men. They usually pay for the dinner! Just saying.

but will have their pick of the women 😂 I read somewhere that if a man really likes you he will pay for your sitter but there’s no way I would let a man do that 🤣

There is no harm in asking!😊