Starting a new relationship is hard enough without the extra responsibilities that come along with it. Entering into a relationship with someone who has children can be fraught with difficulties. There are many things to consider when your new love interest has children of their own or is simply a single parent.
The first step in establishing a relationship with a single parent is to relax and allow yourself to be yourself. Many people mistake the need to be serious and work to develop an intimate relationship with the single parent. This should not happen. The reality is that a good relationship should come out of being comfortable and at ease with each other without any pressure.
Most single parents have a complex in the form of children, career, housing, and various other responsibilities that may get in the way of having a quality intimate relationship. It is important to remember that a relationship is not an addition to the schedule but is something that takes place on the weekends, holidays, and even during vacation time. The same rules apply for anyone else who does have responsibilities.
Don’t bring your adult children into the relationship to confuse matters further. The two of you should have known each other for a reasonable amount of time before you entangle yourselves. A relationship with a single parent has extra pressure that can make it challenging to say the right thing. Take the time to speak with your partner before making a decision.
Some people believe that you don’t learn much about a person by having a relationship with them. In addition, there are those who feel that they can learn more about a person by nursing a broken-heart. If you’re going through a difficult time trying to decide whether a relationship is right for you, take some time to process your feelings and work through them. It’s not fair to forcing yourself to make a choice when you don’t want to do so.
As a single parent, it is especially important that you set aside time for the relationship. Make sure you both agree on how often you are going to be together. A relationship with a single parent needs itsBalance. You need to give to your partner in return, the time and space they need as well. There is nothing wrong with this; it’s just different.
You can set up a accountability method in which both parties record when each has interacted and when there is a gap. This provides a record of what has happened in the relationship. For example, if you say that you spend an hour talking on the phone with a single parent, then the next day you will have recorded this time as being spent with your partner. You can even within this same week or week define the amount that you talk, the amount of time that you value from the person alone, and the amount of time that you value from the relationship.
Make sure that you are honest. It’s easy to hide the truth, especially when you’re trying to hide something more concerning yourself. Maybe you’re cheating on someone. Maybe you’re doing something that you shouldn’t be or you should have done something different. You should be honest with your partner at all times. This will help you to build trust in the relationship and it will also make it easier to work through your differences.
As time goes on, you may come to learn that you definitely want to have a life with this person. Maybe you’ve grown and changed and you decide that you want to be with this person. The question is if your partner can be the person that you came to love.
A relationship with a single parent is difficult. Most people understand that they have certain responsibilities and feelings that inhibiting a relationship with a single parent, but you’ll find that you are trying to couple yourself with someone with whom you share many of the same feelings. Make sure that when you are beginning a relationship with a single parent that you are working on how you can better understand his or her children and how you can be part of their lives.
