It’s never easy to be a single parent. Along with all of the difficult issues that come with parenting alone (or sharing responsibilities with an ex), add in the challenges of getting back into the dating scene and you start to get an idea of the uphill battle so many single parents face.

Online dating sites (especially those targeted squarely for single parents) have taken a lot of the stress and difficulty out of dating for this unique group of singles. Finding someone to go out with who understands what it’s like to deal with single parenthood every day can be a huge thing; it gives you common ground to talk about and a common set of responsibilities to keep in mind when planning your dating activities.

What’s more, when you choose an online dating site for single parents you’re going to connect with others who don’t mind the fact that you have children – something that you cannot say for sure with other more general dating sites! And because many single parents also face financial challenges, dating sites for single parents typically make it relatively easy and affordable to get back into dating without breaking the bank.

Some of the top rated dating sites for single parents include:

• SingleParentsMingle.com
• SingleParentMatch.com
• SingleParentMeet.com
• SingleParentLove.com

If you’d prefer to stick with a dating site that is broader (eHarmony.com, Match.com, etc.) be sure to choose one that offers you the option of noting that you’re a single parent and allows you to focus on other single parents as your potential matches. With a bit of research and effort, every single parent can find the right online dating site to meet their unique needs!

Family Exes, Kids, Parents

Let’s face it, finding someone special and dating when you’re a single parent is tough. There are so many things to consider, from your kids’ feelings to your own baggage and more, it might seem easier to just a) forget about dating and crawl back into your hole, or b) not say anything about having kids until you’re a little ways into a dating relationship. Neither of these is a good option, so what’s a single parent to do?

As hard as it may be, never lie, mislead, or conveniently forget to mention that you have a child/children. This approach never turns out well for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that you’re starting out a relationship with a lie. Not a good way to establish a successful relationship!

It’s far better to focus on looking for potential partners in ways and in places where a single parent with children does not stand out as unusual or undesirable. A good place to start is with one of the online dating sites that have services catering to single parents, such as:

www.match.com – Not strictly a single parent site, but with a strong sub-community of singles with children

www.singleparentmatch.com – Separate from match.com, but catering solely to helping single parents meet each other to form friendships and/or relationships

www.singleparentmingle.com – Another online dating service focused on single parents, this one has a number of extra features available like compatibility matching, chat rooms, forums, blogs, and more.

So if you’re a single parent, don’t be afraid to get out there and start meeting new people. There’s lots of ways to do it and online dating services to help you along!

Family Children, Divorce, Kids, Parents

The single life is something we mock. We talk about how horrible it is to celebrate holidays on our own, how terrible it is to walk into a party without a date, and how awful it feels when our families ask us (once again) if we’re ever going to find the right person.

But maybe those already in couples don’t understand.

Being single is an exciting time, a time in which we have more choices, more independence, and perhaps even more fun than when we’re in a couple. We get to learn about ourselves, who we are and what we truly enjoy. This is a time we all should embrace, rather than a time to try to avoid.

Instead of making a New Year’s resolution to find your true love, maybe it’s time to fall in love with your single life first. Not only is it going to help you enjoy the moments you experience now, but you’re also going to be able to embrace that future partner with the confidence of knowing who you really are.

When we simply focus on finding someone else, we can forget to think about what we like, what we want, and who we are. And that’s when we end up in relationships that are unbalanced and just wrong for our needs.

For today, be okay with being single. Be okay with being by yourself. After all, you do have options and you do have a life outside of dating. Don’t you?

Family Couples, Family, Love, Relationships, Single