Dating online and single mothers. These are not two concepts you would traditionally see in the same sentence. But in my eyes, there could not be a more perfect fit. Having a child on your own is a very challenging experience and can be utterly disillusioning. However hard it may be, it’s very important to find some time to be yourself as a single mother – the person you used to be, removed from motherhood. And eventually, it’s important that you reawaken your love life. Online dating provides the perfect avenue for this re-introduction into the dating world. Here are a few reasons why:
It’s popular and widely successful…
There used to be a definite stigma attached to online dating, everyone considering its users to be either desperate or weird. But as more and more of our interaction moves online, dating websites are becoming the norm. There are now a huge number of them, and each has many success stories. Dating giant eHarmony are believed to be responsible for 5% of marriages in the US, and UK dating with eHarmony has also been immensely successful. Single mother or not, this is the new and ever-growing dating trend.
It’s speedy…
Time is not an easy thing to come by as a single parent. It’s a full-time job: you’re either working or babysitting. And the only activity that seems possible during your free moments is sleep. This is where online dating is handy – it takes no time at all to sign up and start browsing matches. Also, you’re usually updated via email, so you can check the site and any developments whilst on the move.
It’s convenient…
Online dating is also incredibly convenient. With this you never have to hire a babysitter, go to a bar and stare around hopefully for a suitor. You can browse matches from the privacy and comfort of your own home. You can even initiate the first stages of the relationship online, not having to leave the house until three or four weeks down the line.
It finds the perfect matches…
Dating websites also save you another load of time by tracking down the right people for you. They have compatibility matchers which ask you lots of questions – such as the personality quiz with eHarmony – and then your matches are based on the answers. For single parents this is very useful as you can find compatible people, maybe single parents themselves, more easily.
It gives you control…
When dating online, everything is easier to control. You don’t give out personal contact details until you’re ready. You don’t meet someone in person until you’re ready. This means you can take things as slowly as you want – a big advantage if you haven’t dated for a while.
Easy, fast, fun and effective, online dating has a benefit for everyone, but especially for single mothers cautiously re-entering the world of dating.