Dating and the Single Parent
How does one meet other single parents?

How does one meet other single parents? These days there are groups for single parents to get out and socialize (Parents without Partners is one), you can also meet single parents in your synagogue or church, and even in your children's schools. Years ago, I put together a single parent group in my son's school when I discovered there was no support for single parents in the schools. Now, that group is going district wide. More and more organizations are creating support for single parents in the form of educational, dinner groups, matchmaking, networking and social events.
The second type of dating is what I call Non-Parent dating. These dates have little idea what the single parent lifestyle really entails, unless they have dated a single parent before. There may be some frequent or surprising issues that prevent the relationship from really getting off the ground. It is challenging for a non-parent to understand the ins and outs of sharing custody with an "ex". Sometimes that means you have to see the "ex" frequently, speak to them frequently, and emotions can get elevated during those times. Another challenge for non-parents who date single parents is that they are always on call for their kids...the children come first.

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