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November 12, 2007
A Dating Single Parent Story
It's hard enough to be a single parent, raising a child on your own, and making sure that your child gets all the love, attention, and fun that they deserve, but being a dating single parent can be downright hazardous. There are so many things to consider that it can be pretty easy to just forget about dating altogether. But there can be a lot to look forward to when you're a single parent dating, if you're willing to open your mind to new possibilities, and make yourself a set of rules from the very start.
I've been blessed with two wonderful kids - a boy and a girl - that take up nearly all my free time. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I really wouldn't have it any other way. They're great kids, and we all have a lot of fun together. Weekends are best because we really get to break out from everyday routine of weekdays, and get to some serious playtime. For the first couple of years after my divorce, I devoted absolutely all of my time to them, and I'm glad I did. But there came a point when watching another Disney movie with two kids - as wonderful as they are - on a Saturday night just became too much to bear. I was in need of some adult dating.
One of the scariest parts was wondering whether or not I was going to be able to interact with women the way I used to. I'd spent so much time with my kids that it seemed like I'd forgotten how to be in an adult world. The other fear I had was that my children would resent me spending my time with someone else. But, all I could do was try it out, on both accounts. My kids were the easiest part. They were more than willing to see me go out and have some fun, but less simple was getting over how clumsy I felt around the opposite sex.
The only thing I could do was dive head-first back into the dating game and let the chips fall where they may. It was surprising to me how much fun I had right from the very start. With a simple set of rules for myself about what kind of person I was looking to spend my time with, and a little bit of an open mind in regards to new experiences, I've been able to have a lot of fun. It's still not easy being a dating single parent, but it's a lot of fun, and I'm glad I've started again. Besides, my kids probably need as much of a break from me as I do from them.
Posted by MarkJohn at November 12, 2007 2:05 AM
