I was a nervous wreck the night of my first post-divorce date. The usual dating butterflies fluttered in my stomach, but as a newly single mom, there were some additional nerves. Did my then 7-month-old daughter have enough milk to get through the night? Would my boobs leak through the sexy white tank top? When should I introduce my date to my child?
Luckily that decision was made for me. Unable to find a babysitter and unwilling to cancel my plans, I invited my date (now my boyfriend) over and we enjoyed sushi on the couch with my daughter snuggled in between us. Now, normally introducing your children to someone on the very first date isn’t the norm, and wasn’t part of my ideal plan. But being new to the world of dating as a mom, I didn’t necessarily know when it was the best time to introduce a significant other to my child.
And given the amount of single parents out there, this is a more common concern than one may think. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 12 million single-parent families living in the United States in 2014, 80 percent of which were led by a single mother. That’s a lot of single ladies looking to get back on the dating scene, and wanting to to make the transition as smooth as possible for their children and potential partner.
A first date meeting may not go as easily for you as it did for me, but is there ever a perfect time? For some introducing your child and SO right away is ideal while others might want to hold off until things feel serious. Here are five tips on when it’s time to introduce your child to your partner.