Dating single parents: The good, bad, and ugly
Whenever kids are involved, dating takes even more careful consideration about who you let in your life and why. It’s one thing to date wholly inappropriate people and have a casual fling when it’s just two consenting adults. When one or both of you have children, you should probably know with some degree of certainty – that the person you are seeing is a viable romantic partner. It also helps when they aren’t clinically insane.
I know of two friends that are dating single parents right now. They are going through vastly different experiences trying to navigate new romances with people who have children. It makes it pretty clear that the way you handle challenges makes a world of difference.
While one relationship seems to be solid, the other is rocky and full of drama. I can only speculate, but it seems that it’s a maturity thing – or lack thereof.
Dating a single parent can be a really rewarding experience, especially when everyone agrees the kids come first. A lot of people actually struggle with this and I think it ends up being a deal breaker a lot of times.
Have you found ways to successfully date while single parenting? What advice would you give someone who is trying to juggle work, parenting, and a love life?
What pitfalls should you avoid to give the romance a chance of working out?
Are you childless and dating someone with kids? What was the good, bad, and ugly? How do you make it work?
By Wise Diva, Misadventures in Atlanta Dating Blog
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323 comments Add your comment
disco
February 16th, 2012
12:16 pm
bebe kids are the reason why Bernie mac proclaimed he’ll hit a kid with a hammer.
Jake a.k.a. SPJ, TWB
February 16th, 2012
12:17 pm
czBrat-maybe not the world, but something like that!
disco
February 16th, 2012
12:34 pm
something like that? mind elaborating jake?
SlimNu
February 16th, 2012
12:39 pm
Or karate chop them in the throat & chest lol
Lady~Sunshine!
February 16th, 2012
12:42 pm
poppin’ back in!
Leggs
February 16th, 2012
12:44 pm
Those type kids need more than “boxing” behind the ears (lol).
disco
February 16th, 2012
12:45 pm
okay back to dating folks with kids. the good, bad and ugly. once a guy I was dating, he and his kids were at my house. we’d cooked out and all that. a friend of mine came by and how come dude’s 8 year old daughter blasted me talking about “my daddy made this, my daddy made that, my daddy fixed this, my daddy fixed that. all miss (disco) did was make a salad”. not my fault her daddy liked to cook.
SlimNu
February 16th, 2012
12:48 pm
I like the commercial of the guy coming over to take this chick out and her son was left in the living room with the dude until the mom got ready. The dude tried to talk to the little boy and reached for his Doritos. The kid slapped his hand so fast and said, Don’t touch my Doritos and don’t touch my mama
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
12:48 pm
I’ve had to pay taxes for the last 3 years….I GET A REFUND THIS YEAR!!!! Yaaaah
Lady~Sunshine!
February 16th, 2012
12:49 pm
yay C! the IRS still suck though ha!!! LOL smh lol
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
12:49 pm
OMG…the first time someone sent me the link for the Doritos commericial I lost it. It was funny as heck the first time I saw it.
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
12:51 pm
Lady – You ain’t never lied. I’m always happy if I can break even. I’ll happily take a refund though
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
12:54 pm
And why don’t I have anything here to eat but pizza rolls, fries and okra???
See what happens when you won’t keep groceries stocked and very little cooking going on? On a day like this is when I rethink going back to “keeping” groceries stocked. If I wanna eat, I have to do a run and righr now I’m not feeling the weather.
Leggs
February 16th, 2012
12:58 pm
Bad part of staying home…you eat more!
Leggs
February 16th, 2012
12:58 pm
Go make yourself a pancake.
SlimNu
February 16th, 2012
1:02 pm
For whatever reason telling her to go make a pancake has me cracking up. When you’re at home with little to choose from, it’s amazing what you’ll come up with just to save a trip out of the house. You might eat a slice of turkey, scramble some eggs and a hot pocket.
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:02 pm
I’m making ffries…lol I’ll grab some bbq tonight
Willie Dynamite
February 16th, 2012
1:03 pm
Afternoon All –
good Topic that I’ve been on both sides of the fence before. I din’t have anyone around my son when I would keep him. I let them know upfront I get my Son every weekend and sometimes during the week. If that is a problem then its on your end. I also had done the late night kid in the other room visits that quite frankly didn’t sit too well with me. I stopped that quickly and just K.I.M.
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:04 pm
SlimNu – Yep
Sad things Leggs….is you do eat more but there’s nothing here. Sadly no eggs either. I have flour. I rarely buy eggs because we rarely eat. I’ll have for breakfast in the building because we have a chef but I don’t eat them out either…just don’t. If I buy eggs it takes about 4 months to go through a dozen…unless I’m cooking and need for ingredient.
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:06 pm
thinggggg not thingssss
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:10 pm
It seems the more I look at pictures of Whitney the more I can see resemblence to Dionne Warrick?
Lady~Sunshine!
February 16th, 2012
1:14 pm
so sad!
Leggs
February 16th, 2012
1:17 pm
She has always looked like Dionne to me. She even holds her microphone the same way Dionne does. Have you noticed that?
SlimNu
February 16th, 2012
1:17 pm
Celisea – I was looking at a picture of Dionne just a little while ago and she isn’t looking to hot these dayz (not that I ever thought she did look hot but ya know what I mean) I was going to mention it earlier but I figured it wasn’t that nice of a thing to say.
Speaking of Whitney, I was listening to the radio this morning about how Houston’s family is trying to keep Bobby away from Bobbi Christina nor wants him to come to the funeral. Said they believe he’ll try to get close to his daughter in prep to milk her estate. So i’m wondering has he not been really in touch with his daughter these last few years???
Leggs
February 16th, 2012
1:18 pm
@Celisea ~ are those fries from a bag or are you peeling potatoes. (peeling potatotes, peeling potatoes…)
Leggs
February 16th, 2012
1:20 pm
It was reported on the news this morning that Bobby is invited to the funeral simply because he is her father. I also heard that Whitney never changed Bobby from being beneficiary. I find that very hard to believe.
Lady~Sunshine!
February 16th, 2012
1:22 pm
Slim inquiring minds would love to know……every family has drama when someone pass and to play in the media is beyond messy!
Sassy Me...Looootus flower bomb..butterfly ;-)
February 16th, 2012
1:22 pm
Are you childless and dating someone with kids? What was the good, bad, and ugly? How do you make it work?
I’ve dated two men with children and never got the good…all I got was the bad and the ugly. The first guy wanted me to replace his son’s mom and I wouldn’t do it cause it wasn’t my place. It wasn’t like she had gone to the upper room or was incarcerated..she was in one state and he in another. Plus the boy couldn’t stand me and his dad NEVER corrected his behavior so I bounced. The last time I dated a man with children was my last ex with two demon seeds and a baby mama with the IQ of a cold rock…needless to say, I ended that,too. I tried but it just didn’t work and I’m glad I’m out of that situation.
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:22 pm
Leggs – I hadn’t noticed but you can really see the resemblence.
Slim – I saw a glimsp of her and thought the same thing. Not in a snarky way but her head was down and all I could see was a side shot. Not sure if that was gray hair or dye or both but I wondered if she just looked “distressed.” It was a shot of her heading to or from the hotel so I know she was probably under stress.
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:24 pm
Bag/frozen fries. If I gotta peel potatoes, I’m heading up to Zaxbys…lol
SlimNu
February 16th, 2012
1:30 pm
Random: My mind is telling me that this is a good time to be done for this workday. However, in reality I have 3.5 hrs to go and the dreary weather is not going to make the time fly by any faster.
Lady~Sunshine!
February 16th, 2012
1:34 pm
I also heard that Whitney never changed Bobby from being beneficiary. I find that very hard to believe.<<<<<<<My mama did too leggs but I hear Ms Cissy is furious about that jack! 0_o
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:34 pm
I’d planned to step out afternoon but our meeting was changed to 2:00…at the last minute. My manager said “thanks for everyone’s flexibility.” So I’m here at least until 3:30.
I wanted to pick something up for my cousin’s funeral Friday. I contemplated on a suit but I don’t really do suits at funerals unless it’s immediate family. I do black or some black but not suit decked. It still may work out though. My kid’s hair appointment is at 4:00 since the stylist that does her hair will be singing Saturday. I have to fight traffic and get my hair done tomorrow after work. I like Saturday mornings, take my time, grab coffee appointments.
Sassy Me...Looootus flower bomb..butterfly ;-)
February 16th, 2012
1:35 pm
However, in reality I have 3.5 hrs to go and the dreary weather is not going to make the time fly by any faster.
Me, too. I think around 4 I might get sick….cough..cough.
Then I’ll pull a Houdini and be out of this joint ’til Tuesday.
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:36 pm
I have a couple of black suits but all I need is a reason
Celisea
February 16th, 2012
1:39 pm
Funeral Saturday not Friday….okay now I’m just rambling
Sassy Me..Looootus flower bomb..butterfly ;-)
February 16th, 2012
1:40 pm
I also heard that Whitney never changed Bobby from being beneficiary.
They gon make Ms. Cissy go old school like Toni Braxton’s mama did when she threatened to slap the taste from Tamar’s mouth that time she got outta pocket. I hope that’s not true though….maybe Whit did leave Bobby a lil something but to be the benificiary….I’on know..
Lady~
February 16th, 2012
1:42 pm
Sassy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol somthing like that! ha!
Sassy Me..Lotus flower bomb..butterfly ;-)
February 16th, 2012
1:42 pm
Another side note: Anyone seen the video about the Chinese toddler running in the SNOW in ONLY shoes and underwear? His dad said he’s trying to make him tough…bullisht! And where is the mother?
Willie Dynamite
February 16th, 2012
1:49 pm
This funeral is turning into a bootleg Reality TV episode.
Lady~
February 16th, 2012
1:52 pm
yep WD and it is hurtful to the fans I mean really and the pundits @ night need to sat down somewhere monday morning quaterbacking on WH and going IN on BB!!!!!!! its a mess.com More hyped than Michael Jackson I think
Exiled!
February 16th, 2012
1:53 pm
the family members trying to block Bobby are doing it for their own adult selfish ends..not for that girl.
It’s her daddy!
They probably want to milk her (Bobbi) of the money themselves not Bobby!
Who starts talking of estate money at the funeral really except the greedy ones?
And that Deone Warwick needs to sit her ugly forehead and butt down!
Lady~
February 16th, 2012
1:55 pm
i screamed EX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMBAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but I concur the pie is at stake here! poor Bobbi K!
kimmie - the original :)
February 16th, 2012
1:55 pm
Leggs – thanks for the email, beautiful.
I agree 100% about not having a revolving door & bringing just anybody around their child. That is horrible to put a child thru that, especially if you’re running with “questionables”. I would be just like one of my best friends. She had been seeing this man for over a year and thought he was upstanding. He had a day off and was going to hang out at the house for a few hours with her 9yr old son until she got home. Her son called her and told her dude had slapped him! Mind you, this kid was no Be be, calm, well-behaved child. She told him to just go in his room, be quiet and she was on her way home. She walked in pointing the gun! Dude didn’t know what she might do, but that was the end of that. He left the house apologizing, crying and shaking!
Jake a.k.a. SPJ, TWB
February 16th, 2012
1:59 pm
@Disco….I do mind, so I’ll plead the 5th…lol
But remember what you learned from Pooh, if the honey is sweet, he will climb a tree to get it, and he could give a shat about the bee stings.
kimmie - the original :)
February 16th, 2012
2:00 pm
I expect all the sensationalism from TMZ, but CNN has gotten extremely tabloidish too. They were horrible covering MJ’s death and they are at it again with Whitney. I refuse to watch that mess. We all know she had issues with substance abuse, just like MJ and countless others, living and dead. I just want to remember her musical contributions and call it a day.
Lady~
February 16th, 2012
2:01 pm
O/T lil kim or nikki M?!? what is with these girls walking around with long weaves and big tie bows in their damn heads?!? and colorful weave @ that! I can’t with with Nikki M chic she gets on my damn nerves being unnecessary extra! #teamlilkim lol
Lady~
February 16th, 2012
2:02 pm
I just want to remember her musical contributions and call it a day. <<<<That is all that matters to me too! good post!
kimmie - the original :)
February 16th, 2012
2:02 pm
I just remember Dionne looking a mess at Lena Horne’s funeral. I hope she pulls it together for Whitney.
Lady~
February 16th, 2012
2:03 pm
Nancy Gracy wants to prosecute Bobby Brown! #dead 0_o silly heffa!