Dating with Children

I’ve made myself clear many times on how I feel about children meeting the men I date. My plan used to be that I would wait until I had been dating them six months before the kids were even allowed to know the man existed. I then backed off and thought that perhaps they should be more aware I was dating just so they don’t feel sorry for me sitting home alone while their dad has totally moved on and remarried (the fool). I’ve kind of changed my mind again (no surprise), so thought I’d better share it with you.

The kids do need to be aware that I’m dating so I don’t surprise them one day and by saying HEY! I’m gonna marry this man you’ve never heard of! They also need to know that I’m dating so they can quit bugging me to marry my former fiance. I don’t think that it’s him in particular they are attached to, but since he’s the only man they’ve ever known to be in my life other than their dad, they think that he’s the only possible prospect out there. Hard for them to realize, like I do, that there are plenty more fish in that sea, and sharks rather than bottom feeders, if ya catch my drift.

Now the kids know that Mr. Bazillion (mentioned HERE) calls a lot and are thinking I should marry him. Yeah…They have no concept of what that would mean in terms of moving from their dad and grandparents. They just want me to be married and they want to have a stepdad. They obviously don’t read enough wicked step-parent fairy tales!

Anyway, the conclusion I’ve reached is that the kids need to know that I’m fine being single. I’m actually much more happy than I’ve been in years. If marriage to an amazing and awesome man who will worship at my feet falls on my doorstep, I’ll certainly consider it, but I don’t need to marry to be happy or to have a “real” family with my kids. I’m going to make that clear to them. I’ll let them know that from time to time I do date and that is okay too. It doesn’t have to lead to marriage to be a positive thing for me and for them. And it’s okay for them to know that Mr. Bazillion calls and is a very close friend of mine.

I’m single. It’s okay!

marriage, single, dating, dating with children, parenting, family, fiance