Dating for the Single Parent is No Kidding Around
Tips on how and when to Introduce Your Date to Your Children.
Boston, MA, April 26, 2007 --(PR.com)-- There’s no two ways about it - being a single parent and trying to date is very complicated.
“Dating as a single parent is even more challenging than making a career change. Not only are you dating, your child(ren) are also involved. They may not understand who this ‘date’ is or why there is someone unfamiliar in their lives,” explained Paul A. Falzone, author of a recent book on dating (The Singles to Dating The Right One) and CEO of online dating hybrid eLove.com and the world’s largest dating service The Right One and Together Dating.
He continued, “Children are probably not going to want to share their parent with someone new.”
So, how do you know when the time is right to introduce your kids to someone you’re dating?
According to Falzone, presenting your date to your children can be difficult, but there are ways to help the introduction go smoothly:
Remember, fools rush in. There is no reason to introduce your date to your children when you’ve just recently met and the relationship is still in its early stage. You’re getting to know each other and you may find out within a few dates that you’re simply not compatible. There’s no need to bring a child into the picture too soon. It will only cause confusion.
The other issue is safety. You do not want to put your child’s physical safety at risk as well as their emotions by introducing him/her to someone you barely know. At least wait a few weeks, months if possible, until you’ve become much better acquainted with your date before introducing your child.
The “kid” date. When you believe the relationship has developed enough to introduce your child to your date, it’s a good idea to try to do so in a non-stressful way. Take your child with you on a date. Do something fun and age appropriate together, such as going to a playground, mini-golfing, bowling or other activity. If you decide to go to a restaurant, make sure the atmosphere is casual and kid-friendly. After this “kid date”, parent and child should leave together as it reassures a child that he/she is important.
“Roll with the punches.” So, you waited three months to introduce your son to your date. You went to an amusement park where the three of you scaled the rock-climbing wall, rode the roller coaster and ate blue cotton candy. Then it happened. As you headed to the car together, your son blurted out that your date will never replace his other parent.
“It’s impossible for children to withhold their emotions. Sooner or later what they feel bubbles to the surface in an outburst. They say what they feel inappropriately. Yes, it’s embarrassing, but it’s also a fact of life and something a parent just has to let go. As long as it doesn’t happen constantly. If it does, then you need to get to the heart of the matter by talking with your child or perhaps seeking advice from a professional family counselor,” explained Falzone.
It’s only natural that a child views a new person in their parent’s life as a potential threat. Kids see a new person as taking away from some of the time and attention showered upon them. Even though, as a parent, you know this is far from the truth, it’s hard for children to understand the concept.
“Take things slow and in stride and you’ll find that things will fall in to place,” noted Falzone.
Catering to more than 300,000 members at over 60 locations throughout North America, The Right One, Together Dating and Elove.com are the largest bricks and mortar dating services as well as online hybrid in the industry, offering a more consistent product, a greater number of potentially compatible mates and added value of flexibility in transferring memberships to another geographic region.
Romantic Locations
The Right One’s offices and affiliates located throughout the United States include: California (San Diego); Colorado (Glendale); Florida (Miami); Georgia (Atlanta); Kansas (Wichita and Overland Park); Illinois (Downers Grove, Rockford and Bloomington); New Jersey (Cherry Hill, Hackensack); Massachusetts (Norwell, Newton, Shrewsbury and Woburn); Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln); Pennsylvania (King of Prussia, Pittsburgh and Monroeville); Rhode Island (Warwick); Texas (Dallas, Austin); and Wisconsin (Madison, Appleton, Brookfield).
North American locations and affiliates of Together are: California (Encino, Irvine, Los Angeles, Upland); Florida (Palm Beach, Vero Beach); Georgia (Savannah); Indiana (Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend); Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville); Louisiana (New Orleans); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Minnesota (Minneapolis); Nevada (Reno); New Hampshire (Hooksett, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem); New Jersey (Bridgewater, Clark, Colts Neck and Lawrenceville); Ohio (Cincinnati); Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg); South Carolina (Greenville); South Dakota (Sioux Falls); Texas (San Antonio, Beaumont and Houston) and Virginia (Falls Church).
For more information about Together Dating and The Right One, please visit their websites at www.therightone.com, www.togetherdating.com, and www.elove.com or call (800) 818-DATE (3283).
(Editor note: For interviews with the colorful and articulate Paul A. Falzone, CEO of eLove, The Right One and Together Dating and the author of a book on the history of dating, please contact Steve Dubin, PR Works, at (781) 582-1061 or, by e-mail, at sdubin@prworkzone.com.)
###
“Dating as a single parent is even more challenging than making a career change. Not only are you dating, your child(ren) are also involved. They may not understand who this ‘date’ is or why there is someone unfamiliar in their lives,” explained Paul A. Falzone, author of a recent book on dating (The Singles to Dating The Right One) and CEO of online dating hybrid eLove.com and the world’s largest dating service The Right One and Together Dating.
He continued, “Children are probably not going to want to share their parent with someone new.”
So, how do you know when the time is right to introduce your kids to someone you’re dating?
According to Falzone, presenting your date to your children can be difficult, but there are ways to help the introduction go smoothly:
Remember, fools rush in. There is no reason to introduce your date to your children when you’ve just recently met and the relationship is still in its early stage. You’re getting to know each other and you may find out within a few dates that you’re simply not compatible. There’s no need to bring a child into the picture too soon. It will only cause confusion.
The other issue is safety. You do not want to put your child’s physical safety at risk as well as their emotions by introducing him/her to someone you barely know. At least wait a few weeks, months if possible, until you’ve become much better acquainted with your date before introducing your child.
The “kid” date. When you believe the relationship has developed enough to introduce your child to your date, it’s a good idea to try to do so in a non-stressful way. Take your child with you on a date. Do something fun and age appropriate together, such as going to a playground, mini-golfing, bowling or other activity. If you decide to go to a restaurant, make sure the atmosphere is casual and kid-friendly. After this “kid date”, parent and child should leave together as it reassures a child that he/she is important.
“Roll with the punches.” So, you waited three months to introduce your son to your date. You went to an amusement park where the three of you scaled the rock-climbing wall, rode the roller coaster and ate blue cotton candy. Then it happened. As you headed to the car together, your son blurted out that your date will never replace his other parent.
“It’s impossible for children to withhold their emotions. Sooner or later what they feel bubbles to the surface in an outburst. They say what they feel inappropriately. Yes, it’s embarrassing, but it’s also a fact of life and something a parent just has to let go. As long as it doesn’t happen constantly. If it does, then you need to get to the heart of the matter by talking with your child or perhaps seeking advice from a professional family counselor,” explained Falzone.
It’s only natural that a child views a new person in their parent’s life as a potential threat. Kids see a new person as taking away from some of the time and attention showered upon them. Even though, as a parent, you know this is far from the truth, it’s hard for children to understand the concept.
“Take things slow and in stride and you’ll find that things will fall in to place,” noted Falzone.
Catering to more than 300,000 members at over 60 locations throughout North America, The Right One, Together Dating and Elove.com are the largest bricks and mortar dating services as well as online hybrid in the industry, offering a more consistent product, a greater number of potentially compatible mates and added value of flexibility in transferring memberships to another geographic region.
Romantic Locations
The Right One’s offices and affiliates located throughout the United States include: California (San Diego); Colorado (Glendale); Florida (Miami); Georgia (Atlanta); Kansas (Wichita and Overland Park); Illinois (Downers Grove, Rockford and Bloomington); New Jersey (Cherry Hill, Hackensack); Massachusetts (Norwell, Newton, Shrewsbury and Woburn); Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln); Pennsylvania (King of Prussia, Pittsburgh and Monroeville); Rhode Island (Warwick); Texas (Dallas, Austin); and Wisconsin (Madison, Appleton, Brookfield).
North American locations and affiliates of Together are: California (Encino, Irvine, Los Angeles, Upland); Florida (Palm Beach, Vero Beach); Georgia (Savannah); Indiana (Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend); Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville); Louisiana (New Orleans); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Minnesota (Minneapolis); Nevada (Reno); New Hampshire (Hooksett, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem); New Jersey (Bridgewater, Clark, Colts Neck and Lawrenceville); Ohio (Cincinnati); Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg); South Carolina (Greenville); South Dakota (Sioux Falls); Texas (San Antonio, Beaumont and Houston) and Virginia (Falls Church).
For more information about Together Dating and The Right One, please visit their websites at www.therightone.com, www.togetherdating.com, and www.elove.com or call (800) 818-DATE (3283).
(Editor note: For interviews with the colorful and articulate Paul A. Falzone, CEO of eLove, The Right One and Together Dating and the author of a book on the history of dating, please contact Steve Dubin, PR Works, at (781) 582-1061 or, by e-mail, at sdubin@prworkzone.com.)
###
Contact
The Right One
Terry Fitzpatrick
800-818-3283
www.therightone.com
Terry Fitzpatrick
800-818-3283
www.therightone.com
Contact
Categories