Absolutely. I’m also a single parent. However, my kids are big and independent. I’m not interested in replacing an absent parent or drama or starting over from littles. I have a career, I’m financially stable and content alone. So a partner would need to add to my life. I don’t think it’s impossible; I do think it’s unlikely. Kids themselves are not an outright no. Blended families can be beautiful.

I don’t want kids of my own but I love kids! I would LOVE do date a guy with kids. Bonus points if he is a widow.

Since I’m childfree, dating a single parent is a non-starter.

If I was not childfree, I think I would be open to it.

Yes. I’m gay and kind of open to having children, so a partner having children (but me not being a primary parent) could be a nice balance.

Nope! I don’t really like kids and don’t want them. Part of the reason why is I don’t think I’d be a very great parent. To reasonably date someone with a kid, there would need to be some level of commitment also towards the kid and I simply do not want that.

Yes - dating is ultimately just “do i match with this person, like them, and can we get along together enough.” but the odds of me dating them diminish when increasing the amount of kids they have and increasing how messy their ex’s involvement is.

Edited-To-Add: coupling yourself to a romantic partner is also coupling yourself to their friends and family, but while you can choose not to see your in-laws every christmas or hang out with your wife’s girlfriends, you can’t reduce contact with a S.O’s live-in children or crazy exes (assuming the ex has shared custody)

I’m a single parent so would be hypocritical not to.

Then again my kids are in college, soon to be adults, I’m an older parent who doesn’t have the energy I did 20 years ago, and my focus right now is trying to make up for lost retirement savings so I can eventually retire. I do love kids but I’m not up for doing it all again

been doing it for four years. the only difficult part about it is a shitty coparent we have to deal with. i love my family :)

Wouldn’t be my first choice, but possibly.

An odd question. Why would being a (single) parent be a defining factor?

I would say it is more about whether you get along with them and if they have their life in order. The rest will follow / become clear in time. Do not think too far ahead.

I’d say if you understand that if it gets serious, you will find yourself in a parental role of some kind (specific degree varies situation to situation), and accept that as a something you will step up to as necessary, go for it.

I was a dumb-as-rocks 20 year old when I met my ex-wife and her kid. Now my marriage is over, but I am that kid’s de facto dad and that’s pretty much a ‘for life’ thing. I don’t regret that and they are the most important human in my life, and I like to think I did a decent enough job helping raise them (no worse than my own young parents, at least). But if I had a time machine, I can’t say I wouldn’t go back and ask young Cracks if he really understands what he’s getting into.

That said, circumstances could have been such that the dynamic was different (older kid at time of arrival, more involved biodad, etc.), so YMMV. But regardless, people with kids are a package deal, and that needs to be seriously considered when dating/getting into a relationship. If that doesn’t line up with what you want out of life, there’s absolutely no shame in that.

Just take care of them.

Of course, it’s much easier when they’re single.

Depends a lot. I guess the short answer would be yes, but as a single with no children I must admit it would initially make me feel uncertain.

Edit: thus is just my personal take. I believe it’s nobody’s business to say who should date who, each to their own.

I wouldn’t date either of my parents.