I’m sure you could pick up a million self-help books specifically for dating with children or for dating after divorce, but it all comes down to your own personal decisions and situations. That said, here a few tips we’ve found helpful when it comes to dating after divorce, particularly with children.
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1 – Talk to Your Kids
Reassure your kids (no matter what age) that they are the first priority in your life and nothing can come between you. It can be easy, especially if your children are in their teens to assume they will understand your reasons for dating. Don’t assume, having a discussion with your children about both of your feelings can stave off problems later on.
2 – Introductions
When to introduce the new squeeze to the kids is a personal decision that depends on your situation. However, we find the most successful introductions are when there hasn’t been as many before. It’s harder for kids to get attached to multiple potential step-parents than 1 or 2, so try to avoid the meet and greet unless you are sure this relationship is going somewhere.
3 – Parenting
Figuring out how and if step-parents should be involved in discipline can be tricky. We recommend that the parents handle the big decisions together and that the step parents do not allow themselves to get too involved in any discipline. This doesn’t mean step-parents can’t be involved in what happens, just that when it comes to handing down punishments or making big decisions that they take a back seat.
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These are just some basic tips we’ve found work well for our members. Just remember in the end every situation, parent and child are very different and might need a different touch!