Single parents, Dad, or Mom, navigate “dating” again with some history under their belts.

Kids and some requirements for what’s OK and what they simply won’t ever do again. The rules are very different, and the experience gives them some distinct advantages in terms of recognizing what they don’t want and are willing to wait enthusiastically. But don’t worry, even though the single parents I speak to might have a couple of kids, and a full-time job, they still like to find time to be with someone.

There are never any hard rules, but here are a few basic points single fathers talk about;

• I don’t want a “date.” I don’t want nice. I want my next relationship to start out with the potential going the long distance. I’ve never been a casual dater. And asking someone out on a date is nerve-wracking. Let’s hook up, wait, I mean, let’s go out on a date.
• If you have kids, we’ve got an immediate starting point for everything. Trying to talk about your kids with a woman who’s not a mom… Well, they just don’t get it.
• Games of any kind are an immediate timeout. One thing I will tell a first date is, “You can ask me anything. In fact, I prefer the hard questions. I’m trying to learn the answers myself. I will always try to answer honestly.
• It may take several months to get in our first four dates, but… Like I said earlier, we shouldn’t be in a hurry.