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When you’re a parent, things can be tough in terms of a social life. When you’re a single parent, this is where it can take a turn for the worst. There are some things that just come first, but when you’re in a partnership, this buck can usually be passed on to the other person. Things like meal times, parties, childcare and everything else that bundles its way into your child’s life, has to be undertaken by the person with the parental responsibility that day. So if you get invited out on a weekend when you’ve got the kids? Well, unless you’ve got a very willing family member or friend offering to babysit, it’s unfortunately a rejection to the invitation.
However, this doesn’t mean that single parents can’t do anything. The one thing that we really have to take into account is that we are all human, and all have human needs. Keeping yourself in like a hermit isn’t the way to go at all, but neither is being out every night trying to forge some sort of friendship circle. It’s not a case of one or the other at all.
Join a Community
There are quite a few online communities for you to join if you’re a single parent. These are usually sub-forums on bigger sites like Netmums, or you could find a group on Facebook for you to get on with. There is a big community on Twitter also – you just need to know where to go to look for it, but using hashtags is usually a good start. Social media is most definitely your friend during this phase, but don’t let it take over your life – your kids need you too. Starting a blog to document your journey is also a great way to reach out to like-minded individuals. It all depends on how much you want to share.
Go Online Dating
This is becoming less and less of a taboo subject, and you’ll find more couples now who have met online than you will in real life … especially with the millennial generation. There are quite a few dating sites that have cropped up over the past few years, some more specific than others. It depends on what you’re into, who you’re into and where you’re into them (as in location wise) which will determine which site you use. Make sure that you keep safe if you’re meeting up with anyone from online. Tell somebody where you’re going, and keep in touch with them all night – even if it means more ‘bathroom trips’ than normal so you don’t look rude by texting in front of them. Your safety is of the utmost importance.
Find Other Single Parents
With the aforementioned rise of social media, it’s easy to know which of your friends are single parents and which aren’t. It doesn’t mean that you are bonded in a friendship forever with them, it just means that you have something in common. It may be nice to meet up and discuss this, especially to learn some of their tips on how they manage some situations and cope with others.
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