single-parent dating (sm)
Posted By: btdt on 2006-12-26
In Reply to: Need opinion on guy troubles - nl
I'm not sure that the length of time you have been dating is really relevant as other posters mentioned. If you feel you need to have the relationship defined, it should be and when it is, you need to decide what to do next.
It is SO hard to date when you have a child, especially a daughter that you want to raise with good morals and self esteem. In order to build a good relationship and be sure the guy likes your kid, you have to invest time and expose the child(ren) to him. If he's not *the one* then you have to repeat the process, thereby exposing you kids to men, attachments, and as far as I'm concerned, confusion on the part of the kids.
I came to this conclusion shortly after my ex and I split when my daughter was 5. I dated one guy, we broke up, and didn't date again until she was out of high school.
I also identified with a line in Jerry MacGuire; words to the effect that spending time with my kid was more fun and fulfilling than any frog or potential prince.
It's my opinion and only my opinion that we had our lives, made our decisions, had our fun, made our mistakes, brought kids into the world and they should be our focus. It's hard to focus and give full attention to a child when there is guy anxiety.
I know many have done it and have been extremely successful with merging families and doing the step-dad/mom thing. I just didn't think it was fair to gamble with my child's future... things don't always happen in real life like they do in movies...
All of this was probably of no help, but I sincerely think you do need to stop and think what is going to give you peace of mind, not necessarily happiness or instant gratification, and know that whatever does give you peace of mind will benefit your child.
Good luck, sweetie! :-)
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Single MTs - every just get sick of dating? sm
I have not been single that long - I am 41 and first and foremost a mom to my kids. I have been dating some though...and have found people to be so unreliable. Last week I told off two people for their unreliability and now my phone is oh-so-quiet. I can't decide if I want my phone to be quiet or if I want the aggravation. Right now I am voting for quiet. What is up with people these days that they just make flippant plans and then blow them off? It is my pet peeve to reserve my time for someone and have them cancel for some flip reason and then want to reschedule. We all have things that happen, but I get lunch plans cancelled because, "Oh, sorry, I overslept and didn't get ready in time - can we meet for dinner instead?" Does this happen to everyone or am I just not worthy of someone at least trying to keep their plans with me?
were you a single parent
x
I was divorced, did not call myself a single parent
and I worked lots of jobs to make a living, not 1 red cent from the father of my son, never and I bought and made it all myself- I took them around their relatives, they always had a good home, involved in their schooling, the whole 9 yards. I am not responsible for a child turning against their mother for their love of money (the son). Others on her asking what phone call more important than my daughter, well having a phone call with an aunt who is in hospice with metastatic cancer in their late 80s.....
Sadly, I work because I'm a workaholic..too many years of being a single parent..
Most days it helps keep my sanity, and quite honestly, I do have older children from another that I choose to help put through college and pay their bills until they are out of school. That is something I contribute. My husband pays for everything else and we do like cruises..and just traveling. We have a place in Hawaii and Las Vegas is one of our favorite places to go..and even then, I take my computer along and work. Nothing better than working away from home, change of scenery. My husband hasnt "worked" in probably 20 years..he owns commercial property and manages that which there is not a lot to do with. His sister and he own the property and she does the bookkeeping part leaving him with not a lot to do..but I keep him busy  . It is hard because he has always traveled and likes to go all the time..whereas I like working..The property is up for sale so I guess if it sells then I might retire..maybe..I'd probably go nuts sitting around, and even when I'm on vacation..I freak out if I am not working.. Yeah.. it's an addiction..bad.. I wonder if anyone else in this biz has the same problem. I've always worked 2-4 jobs..but the obsession has gotten worse when I started working at home..Anyone else not being able to relax and smell the roses???
Dating
I am married and have been for years, so I don't have much insight into dating anymore, but I would be leary of dating at work, just because if it does not work out, it could be uncomfortable, but other than that aspect of it, have fun and don't be shy. 
dating
What bothers me is that you say you recently came out of a long marriage/relationship. I speak from experience when I say it is NOT wise to jump right into something else - take time for yourself and your kids for awhile. JMO
She is dating him.....
not marrying him.
Online dating... Have you tried it?
I'm thinking about trying this. What are your experiences? Which ones are the best dating sites? Thanks!
Online dating
Yes, found my husband on Match.Com, dated two years and have been married for 1 1/2 years now. I was very lucky to have found a good honest man. We are in our sixties.
The dating game.
I hate it and that's why I continue to be single and loving it. Knowing the simplistic mind and approach of men to relationships, think of it this way (just to put it bluntly). They are like boys with new toys. If they play too much with the toy, sooner or later, they will set it aside and forget about it. As far as "games," yes dating is a game, a "cat and mouse" game. The cat enjoys inmensely chasing after the mouse. You have to "dangle the catnip" for the cat and let him work for it. If the mouse does the chasing, then it is not fun for the cat. Many men have the same thing in mind while dating "hit and run" (if you know what I mean), as in "why buy the cow, when you have tasted the milk." You have to let him do the chasing. When a woman goes too much after a man, he just sits in his all mighty throne knowing that he doesn't have to do anything, but wait for you to come to him to tell him how much you need him. If he really has any real true intentions, he will call you or write to you wondering what you have been up to. There is nothing worse for a man that not to know what a woman is thinking.
When my hubby and I were dating we
went to a Halloween party and he spent the entire afternoon before the party dipping his hand in wax so it would have layer after layer of wax and look like a dead hand. Then he put on an oversized overcoat, wrapped his head in ACE bandage and wore sunglasses and a hat and really huge moon boots...(this was in the 80's mind you). Then when he got to the party he realized that he forgot to leave a hole open for his mouth so we had to cut one out so he could breathe, eat and talk. It was hilarious. No one knew who he was. It was funny....
Believe it or not a Dating Service
I was sick of meeting losers so I decided to take the chance. We were engaged after three months and married nine months later and will be married for 17 years in September. The first time he introduced me to his friends a week or so later, they told him we were going to get married.
Dating Service
I was tired of not being able to meet anyone. I actually got matched with a lot of great guys, but no one struck me as "the one" until I met my now husband. We talked for about 5 hours at the restaurant our first date and saw each other every day after that. We were engaged after a month and got married a year later. Now almost 18 years late we have to great daughters 15 and 5.
cougar dating
http://www.futurescopes.com/age-gap-dating/681/cougar-dating-tips-older-women-dating-younger-men
Met through a dating service
I was sick of not being able to find anyone decent. I say it was fate, because he said he hated answering machines so when he called me the first time, and I wasn't home, he could have said forget it, but he decided to give me one more call and I was home that time. If he gave up the first time I never would have met him. We dated for one month, got engaged and married a year later. It will be 18 years this September.
Dating's easier said that done
I miss dating. For me, there's a satisfaction or companionship that I get from a male partner that I don't get from work or family. Unfortunately, living where I do and working like I do, I'm not really coming across a lot of available ones. With my children's blessing, I've done internet dating, but the last couple of times have turned out very very badly. There aren't a lot of social venues where I am so I'm out of luck there. The one guy I dated told me that a single employed 'mature' woman, I was a bit of a commodity as there has been an exodus out of the rural areas, but that has not translated into my dance card being filled. Oh, well. I probably shouldn't let myself be distracted from work anyway. But, gosh, I miss a deep male voice asking me how I'm doing.
Interracial dating views
Do you think most people still have a bad opinion of interracial dating and should that matter anyway?
I'm dating a man 18 years older. If you like him, go for it! :)
x
try specialty dating websites
I met my husband 4 years ago through an online dating site that catered to people of our religion. I think these specialty dating sites where you already have something in common have a higher success rate. You can find sites for pet lovers or cowboys... lots of different ones out there.
More info? Do you mean for a couple who is dating or?? (sm)
not sure what situation you mean?
dating someone with kids is hard
Bottom line is he SHOULD put her first, because if he didn't what kind of man would he be? My point to you is that although I understand COMPLETELY how you feel... it's just not always justified. I couldn't deal with my situation with kids so I left it. I respect him as a man for being a great dad, but having broken homes and split families is sometimes very difficult, as atested to the way the daughter acts towards you. You have to realize this is the way it's gonna be... deal with it or leave... (im not trying to say it is easy or anything... just facts you know?)
Interesting dating "survey"
Would you ever date/marry.....
someone who is less educated than yourself?
YES, DID SO, HE HAS A 2-YEAR TECHNICAL DEGREE, I HAVE A 4-YEAR BA that I NEVER DID ANYTHING WITH UNFORTUNATELY. ACTUALLY I ONLY EVER DATED 1 GUY I THINK WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE AND HE ENDED UP BEING A REAL WEINIE, DID THE CLASSIC DUMP OF JUST STOPPING CALLING AFTER 3 MONTHS OF DATING FOR WHICH I DID TAKE HIM TO TASK FOR, WHAT A JERK. I WAS 21 HE WAS 25 OR SO.
someone of a different race?
PROBABLY NOT.
someone whose parent's are divorced?
YES, WHY WOULD THAT MATTER?
someone who has bad credit or alot of bad debt?
NO.
who is overweight or obese?
NO.
someone who affliates or supports a different political party than yourself?
YES, AS LONG AS YOU AGREE TO DISAGREE DON'T SEE THAT AS AN ISSUE UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY WORK IN POLITICS.
someone who is rude to customer service staff?
NO, IF THEY ARE RUDE TO STAFF THEN HE/SHE WILL BE JUST AS RUDE TO YOU.
someone who talks a longtime on their cell phone when you are eating?
NO, WOULD NOT ESPECIALLY THRILL ME UNLESS IT IS SOMEONE THAT THEY HAVE NOT TALKED TO IN YEARS, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE.
someone who enjoys a different genre of music?
YES. CAN BE ENLIGHTENING LEARNING DIFFERENT MUSIC.
someone who does not enjoy the same leisure activities as yourself?
YES, BUT THEN AGAIN THEY WOULD NEED TO AT LEAST TRY IT, AND YOU TRY WHATEVER IT IS THEY LIKE TO DO, BE IT BOWLING OR BINGO.
someone who is a very picky eater or someone who is a vegeterian/vegan and you are not?
NO, THAT WOULD BE TO AGGRAVATING.
someone who prefers to spend leisure time alone or with friends (without you)?
NO, THAT IS JUST CHILDISH, HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE TWO, OR ADD YOU TO THE "GROUP". EVERYONE NEEDS A NIGHT AWAY NOW AND THEN BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. WHAT IS THE POINT IN BEING TOGETHER THEN?
I was dating one of his good friends...sm
dumped the friend for DH and never looked back. That was 24 years ago.
I may be dating myself but it was David Cassidy!
xxx
Dating? What's that? It's been so long I forgot.
Single, twice divorced, no kids, older than you (fifty-umph), and frankly, I'd rather be alone and gaze at my own navel than deal with the kind of stuff you talk about. Been there, done that, own the T-shirt franchise....
In my not-so-humble opinion, it's a function of society at large these days; has nothing whatsoever to do with you. My best friend and I have been observing for years that it's getting harder and harder to find people whose word is good. If their word is no good on the small stuff (lunch), then it's not going to be good on the bigger stuff. Trust me, you do NOT need THAT level of aggravation.
So see what you can do to learn to be your own best friend and company, and otherwise, cultivate the kind of people whose word is good. They may just introduce you to other people whose word is good.
And that's just my own take on the subject. Others' mileage may vary. :)
Dating? I'd rather have a root canal. -(nm)-
dating, marriage & dogs
rule #1
when you swear off men, you automatically will find the love of your life!
rule #2
marry a nerd - they are just as hot as a cowboys when the glasses come off, plus you get the added excitement of knowing your bills will be paid on time...
rule #3
there is no greater love than that of a dog who can't bear to be without you while you are in the potty. Life is short and we need all the joy we can get - Leave the bathroom door open for the little buggers!!!
AND RULE #4
get down on your knees every night and give the Lord thanks for your crazy, sweet life whether single, married, or stepping over dogs to get out of the powder room.
I personally know a guy who does that online dating stuff
He is seeing one girl seriously (or so she thinks) that lives in another state. Every chance he gets, he meets up with other local women. Bottom line is he is having sex with all of them. Friend of my husband. Isn't that nice? So...my advice, if he's still looking, you're not *the one*. Sorry but that's my opinion.
Dating question-have things changed? (sm)
Hi - I am fairly recently divorced and have been dating a man for about 5 months. We get along very well and he is very kind to me, very complimentary, we have a great time together, he tells me he loves me...but one thing is odd to me and I am not sure if it is just his personality or if things are this much different from when I dated 15 years ago before my marriage. We communicate by phone, text and e-mail, but I almost always have to initiate the conversations. He always calls, texts or e-mails me back and is happy to hear from me, has long conversations with me and says wonderful things, and is happy to get together to see each other. But unless I wait 2 or 3 days to hear from him first (which is hard for me!) he never initiates the conversations. Have I just set it up this way and now it continues that way? Does he not really like me as much as he says? We talk almost every day, and when I have asked if I am contacting him too much he says, "No! I love hearing from you. I love looking on my phone and seeing a text from you! You're not calling too much at all." So why doesn't he ever take the initiative? I mean, he is kind of shy, but we've known each other 5 months now! I've never been an aggressive type, so I guess I'm confused. Thanks for any opinions!
Said the woman who is dating an indicted felon!
Natalie Cole has a lot of nerve talking trash about other people when she herself is involved in a relationship with a con man who is currently under four felony indictments!
 
Just back into the dating scene - question (sm)
I have recently gotten back into the dating scene and met a nice guy (online) who lives locally. We have emailed back and forth and he is very nice to talk to. But when I met him recently I realized there was no attraction - at all. But he really likes me. Would it be better for me to just say right now that I am not interested or should I keep talking to him and gradually slow down how much I talk to him? Can I tell him I just want to be friends? I feel like a teenager again! I don't want to hurt his feelings.
...and dating leads to...? She does not say she is not contemplating marriage. sm
In fact, I got quite the opposite impression.
Look, all I'm saying is that we have an awful lot of situations like this that turn into tragedies, when it didn't have to happen. This is a world in which we must ask ourselves the hard questions and take reasonable precautions to protect ourselves.
It's really hard for me to see how this is something that shouldn't be said, even if you and the OP don't happen to like it.
Dating sympathy (from married person)
I would hate to go back to dating. I've been married 18 years but I do remember what single life and dating were like.
The majority of them were creeps for one reason or another (especially the one going to law school - I got my first clue when I saw a sticker inside his car - his last name is also an occupation and the sticker said _________ know all the right strokes). (eye roll)
I mentioned in another post that I had moved into an apt. with my boyfriend of about a year, and 3 weeks later, he left me for his ex-wife.
At that point, I swore off of men. I figured I'd just live in the same apartment and go to work at the hospital 5 days a week for the rest of my life. That's when my husband walked into my life.
I had first met him in 1985 when, after graduating high school, I went to work at McDonald's. He was a swing manager, 2 years older and so darned handsome. We dated for quite awhile but it wasn't exclusive. He then joined the navy and got married. Three years later, his ex told him she needed to get a life and filed for divorce.
About 3 months prior to this, I swore off men for good. Then, one day, I was working a Saturday at the hospital (I think it was to make up for the day I missed when I had a diagnostic laparoscopy - yeah, it was stupid going back to work the day after you have surgery). I got a phone call from my mom, asking me if I remembered such and such. My husband's sister had called my parents' house but my mom didn't want to give out info, so she called and gave the info to me. I called his sister and we gabbed. I told her I remembered her and definitely remembered him. She asked me to meet her and her boyfriend at a bar along with my (future) husband. Well, I said "what the heck". I agreed to go.
Now, this is 3 days status post a laparoscopy and they weren't as good about getting the CO2 out back in 1990 as they are today and that day, I had gas so bad, I probably could have filled up my gas tank 3 times over. I spent almost the entire date squeezing my cheeks together (thankfully we weren't dancing or doing other physical things - LOL). I still had a really good time but was relieved when I left his house. I lived about 10 minutes away and I swear, I must have passed gas the entire ride home.
He knows all about it now. Heck, I can't remember the last time I even closed the door to the bathroom. We have no kids and if I do close the door, all 3 pugs sit outside and scratch the door, whine and cry. I gave up. I'm sometimes even "lucky" enough to have one of them on my lap while I'm going.
Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is love/good relationships seem to come when you least expect them. When I pursued dating or had someone fix me up, or met a guy in a bar or whatever, it never ended well. Nowadays, how do you know if you're supposed to pay half for the date?
Like I said, I feel for you guys. If my husband dropped dead tomorrow, I think I'd remain single the rest of my life.
Good luck to all of you and God bless!
How do you feel about older women dating younger men (sm)
As in, he is 9 years younger (29). Have never done this before but we really get along well.
If he wasn't like that while you were dating, he ain't gonna change now. Maybe some couples th
s
Talk about dating yourself? I remember selling them for 0.75 cents! (nm)
xm
I personally know 4 people who met and married via dating websites - sm
I was shocked at first when a good friend of mine in her 30s said she had met the most fantastic man on eharmony and was VERY skeptical, but I met him and he is very nice. They have been married 6 years now and baby 2 is on the way. Two of my husband's friends from work met women this way and both are now happily married from what we can tell. Lastly, my husbands 47yo cousin has met a man she is very serious about. They are flying back and forth from CA to NY every few weeks to spend time together. Maybe it does not work for everyone and there probably are some real losers there too, but I have seen firsthand that it can work. Just something to think about. Best wishes whatever route you take! 
No! Not if you are not their parent! (sm)
I think that it is better for the parents to tell the children from the very beginning that they were "chosen" and tell them how much they were wanted and how much they are loved. Since they didn't do that, it certainly is no one else's place to do so! If someone slips and the kids go and ask the parents, that's one thing, but for someone else to sit them down and tell them behind the parents' back would be really, really traumatic for them and very wrong!! Please don't do it!!
i am not even a parent, but
i have been blown away by the violent video games, trashy clothes and rude behavior of children and the parents who allow this. kudos to you! what you are doing is wonderful. keep it up.
I am a parent and it seems to me...
that if there are no consequences for her actions, she will more likely do whatever she wants in the future, not think about it and do the right thing. In the real world, she will have to do what superiors tell her to do, or there will be consequences. I think that it is a parent's responsibility to prepare children for that. Of course, I assume that this is an active parent who already speaks to her child and knows what is going on. I believe in obtrusive parenting.
And it should be...why should one parent
bear the brunt of all expenses. It is not too much to ask for the other parent to chip in.
Did you ever think maybe NEITHER parent
Nobody is guaranteed that their parent HAS to pay for their college. It is an option, not a requirement by law. However, if the child got a job and is putting themselves through school, and NEITHER parent is contributing, in Indiana, even if the child is away at school but uses the custodial parent's address as the place they go when school is on break, non-custodial is still forced to pay child support to custodial.
IMO custodial parent should lose that title AND child support when child reaches legal adult age of 18. Then if child support MUST be continued by law merely because child is a student, it should be paid directly to the 18+ year old adult!!!!
Sounds good! I can tell you that these dating sites do not work. I have never seen so many needy
men on them. I wont meet anyone without talking to them first by phone and believe me when I tell you they all have their stories as to why they are broke, why they have been married 5 times, why they are still raising kids at 60 years old, etc. What you suggested sounds good. I have a few lifelong male friends that I usually always go places with so I never really had an opportunity to meet other new people when I go out and about so I plan to start doing more things on my own. I really dont mind doing that. It may be fun actually. Appreciate all your ideas!
Your doctor says this, but you are the parent
and you are going on the theory that she will not become sexually active nor show up with sexually transmitted diseases up to the age of 17. That is your responsibility, not the physicians to choose or not. There are a lot of girls sexually active way before 17 What makes you think your daughter is different?
I think depends a lot on the parent.
My mom does nothing but preach about how horrible girls are and how she wishes that she had only boys. (I am her only daughter, so imagine how that makes me feel.) Let's compare my teen years with my brother's. Me: Straight A student, preferred books to running with friends, worked from age 14, saved my money, bought my own clothes, received scholarships and paid my way through college. Brother: Drugs, parties, bad grades, skipped school, finally quit and joined army and cursed mom out as he left home. Beyond the teen years, I've been married 23 years to a wonderful man, have three great kids (boys). Brother has three ex-wives and who knows how many children. Oh! And the cherry on this sundae... when I was 16, my brother tried to kill me. Beat me nearly half to death, choked me and police came to take him away. Still, in mom's eyes, he can do no wrong and girls are all evil.
OK. Just a little vent. We all need one now and then.
Noncustodial Parent
Children pay dearly when adults act like this. They need their mom, dad, grandparents, and family members in their lives on a REGULAR basis. Withholding visitation for any reason will come back to haunt the custodial parent one day ... and their children will pay the price.
As a parent of an adopted
child, I would definitely say the answer is 'no" and it is for this very reason that my husband and I have from the beginning talked to our son about the fact that he is special because he is adopted - we wanted to be the ones to tell him the truth rather than him hear it from someone else. This is definitely something that the parents should do and should do so when they feel comfortable talking about it with their children...My son is 6 and he knows he is adopted. He understands that he came from someone elses belly (he's my heart baby as we have told him. We answer his questions when he asks them and tell him just want he asked for - divulging nothing else to confuse him - take for instance at 4 is when he noticed my SIL's pregnant belly and knew the baby was there - he at that point put 2-n-2 together and realized something was up - which prompted us to talk about him being from someone else's belly. Then a few months ago he asked about this other person - why she didn't keep him, what was her name....(yes we were very surprised as our social worker said little boys are usually much older before they really inquire!)...but we answered his questions reinforcing the positives of being adopted because he had brought us so much happiness and that this other woman did love him enough to know she couldn't raise him and loved him enough to give him to us -making us a family! Sorry for rambling....adoption issues usually get me on a soap box sometimes!! Either way the answer to your question is definitely not your place to tell - leave it up to the parents.
Need some advice whether you are a parent or not
Sorry that this is a bit long....One of the doctors I work for is also my step-uncle. He is my step-mother's (been married to my dad for 29 years) brother. He is an ENT doctor and goes to Africa a couple of times a year to do cleft lip and palate surgeries. Each trip is 2 weeks long and has been put together by my uncle and a couple of other christian doctors to also bring the message of christ to the patients and their families. Well, my uncle just called me to tell me they are working on the trip for July of next year and would like to add my son to the team. He will be 17 by then and getting ready to start his senior year in high school. I have often talked about my son on this board and always said he was very responsible for his age. My son, my DH and my uncle have discussed this in the past and my son really wants to do this. He is defintely planning on going into medicine and is a strong christian. I know this is a chance of a lifetime but I can't help but worry if letting him go is the right thing to do. Normally if anyone under 18 goes they have to have a parent with them but my uncle will be his legal guardian for the trip since they can only take a limited number of people.
Here is one of the reasons I am having such a hard time with the decision. My son was at VA Tech on a high school field trip the day of the shootings and this is where he plans on attending college. Since then I have kept a bit of a tighter grip on him. I know he would be devestated if we said no (actucally my DH is all for the trip). Has anyone had any experience similar to this or any opinions on my situation? Thanks.
Another Husky parent!
Wow! A lot of you guys have this breed of dog! They sure are gorgeous! Who is the brown "dude" in the lower left corner trying to sneak in on the shot? Too cute! :)
I have right to my opinion, same as you. Parent job
x
Do think being parent alone protects someone from
x
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