[Scarlett11]

hey everyone… i’m a single parent looking to start dating again and i’m a bit nervous about how to spot the good ones. what red flags should i watch for and what tips helped you when you were dating someone new after kids? thanks in advance!

21

[henryyyy8]

hello.. i’m a single dad (daughter is 7) and i’ve figured out some things on the “dating someone new as a parent” front. here are my thoughts:
red flag: they dismiss or minimise your parenting obligations. i once met someone who said “we’ll do that later when you’re free” — sounded nice but what they really meant: “i don’t care about your calendar”. i realised that matters a lot.
red flag: they pressure you into meeting their friends/family quickly before you’re comfortable. with kids you need someone who respects *your pace*, not their timeline.

25

[PennyM_m]

hey.thanks for this thread. i’m a single mum of a 5‑yr old and only started dating last year. i faced some of these red flags:

red flag: when they didn’t ask about my child’s interests/send anything small like “hope your son had a good day” — it felt like “i’m just here for you not your real life”. big turn‑off.
red flag: they always wanted “us time” but never asked “us + kids time” or acknowledged the shift. if a date always means “kid free” for *you*, but never “kid around & you join”, that ratio bothered me.

11

[HannahB]

hi. i’m a mum of two (ages 8 & 10) and i recently started seeing someone new after being single for a while.

17

[Melissa Smith]

Single parent here—two kids, ages 7 and 10. The hardest part isn’t finding someone; it’s protecting your kids’ hearts.
Big red flags: anyone who pressures you to introduce them early, disrespects your parenting boundaries, or acts jealous of your time with your children.
I dated someone who seemed perfect—funny, attentive—but when he got impatient about my “limited free time,” I realized he didn’t understand what real commitment looks like.
Eventually, I met someone patient enough to build trust slowly. He earned my kids’ respect before their affection.
The lesson? Your kids deserve stability. Don’t settle for someone who wants only you—they must respect the “us” that comes with you.

18

[Author]

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