QUICK SUMMARY
Being a single parent is a hard, and sometimes lonely, job. When you need some company that isn't a person under the age of 18, you'll know that you are ready to start dating again. But where do single parents even meet people when they are ready to start dating again? Keep reading to find some of the best apps for single parents to get back into the dating game.
What is a Single Parent?
What exactly is a single parent? Well, a single parent is a parent or guardian who brings up a child or children alone, without a partner source: Dictionary.com. This means that if you are a mother or father who has your child the majority of the time and don't have a partner to help you, then you are a single parent. It doesn’t matter how you became a single parent or what happened to make you become one. If you have a child all the time or are most of the time, more than the other parent, you are considered a single parent.
What does being a single parent look like?
Being a single parent means that you have to do everything. All of the cleaning, the cooking, the playing, and even the grocery shopping is all up to you. Single parents have to deal with having a job that pays money while also having the job of raising a kid or kids while also being a cook and a cleaner. Some days it will feel like thing after thing after thing, is hitting you and making it so that you don’t have any time to take care of yourself. Parenting with two parents is hard enough, but when it's all on one person, it can quickly get stressful, overwhelming, and lonely. Eventually, you will want to get back out there and start dating again. At some point, you will want to find someone that will help make things even just a little bit less overwhelming and stressful and take away that feeling of loneliness. But where do single parents find dates?
Where do single parents find dates?
These days when people think about dating, whether they are single parents or not, dating apps are one of the first things that will come to mind. Dating apps are a great way for single parents to get back out into the dating game, but it's not the only option out there. Having a kid that will want to go places, that needs to get energy out, actually gives you more opportunities to meet people than you may have realized. Here are some of the best places for single parents to find dates:
- Dating Apps
- Parks/Playgrounds
- Playgroups
- School Events
- Shopping
- The Zoo
- The Gym
- Work
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Single parents are people who raise a child without a partner.
- Being a single parents means that everything is on you, all of the desicions, cleaning, cooking, and shopping.
- There are many places for single parents to find dates, and not all are online or on dating apps.
Single Parents Dating Apps
As mentioned above, dating apps are one of the first things many people think about when thinking of getting back into the dating game. And it's for good reasons. They are easy to use, it doesn't take long to set up a profile, and they let you talk with a match before going on an actual date. All you do is upload some nice pictures of yourself, answer some questions, and fill out a bio that tells other people looking at your profile a little bit about yourself. Some of the people you meet might be single parents themselves but some might not be and that's great too.
Does ParentSwirl have dating functionality?
Yes it does. ParentSwirl offers dating service and has a lot of additional features like: finding friends only, classifieds with free stuff, cool challenging discussion boards, meet ups and more. It is more than just a dating site, but a whole community focused on supporting and swirling families together at no cost or small charges. It is very easy to Sign Up
What other dating apps out there?
There are not so many specifically designed for single parents but there are few. Some websites and apps offer a filter to help you target parents only. Some let you set your marital status. Below is a list of dating apps and websites you can try. If you want to know more about them, check out this Remember, the first time you meet up with someone you meet online, be sure to do it in a public setting and tell someone you know where you are going and be safe.
DATING APPS
- SingleParentLove
- JustSingleParents
- SingleParentMeet
- SingleParentMatch
- Match
- Tinder
- FirstMet
- Stir
- ParentSwirl
Parks/Playgrounds
Parks and playgrounds are another great way for single parents to find dates. It's also an easy way to break the ice. Kids have so much energy that they need to get out and let them run around the park or play on the playground is a great way to do that. And most of the time, the parents are standing off to the side watching their own kids. It's probably safe to assume that some of them are also single parents. If you notice your kid playing with another kid and running up to their mom or dad, you can go up and introduce yourself with a reason to do it. This website source: liveabout.com talks about why parks and playgrounds are great places for single parents to find dates even more.
Playgroups
A great way to get your young kids socializing with other kids is by taking them to playgroups. However, they aren't the only ones that can take this time to socialize. There will be tons of other parents there who are also watching their kids. This means that there are a lot of people for you to get to know. Even if they aren’t single, chances are that they know at least one person who is single, whether their friend is a single parent or not. Also, if you are outdoorsy and like to go on hikes, you can find playgroups online that meet at parks or nature trails so you know that you have at least a few things in common with the other people there. So you can get your kid outside and meet new people at the same time. It’s a win-win situation there.
School Events
School events are a great way for single parents to find other single parents to date. Schools are filled with tons of kids and have many events throughout the year. There are back-to-school nights, conferences, concerts, and so much more. These events are the perfect time for you to meet other parents and find out more about them. There's a good chance that you will meet other single parents or that the people you meet will know other single parents in the school. School events happen at every grade level, so no matter what grade level your kid or kids are in school, you will be able to take advantage of the situation and meet new people at them. If your child is older and doesn’t want to tell you about everything that happens at their school, most schools have basic event schedules on their websites.
Shopping
Back-to-school shopping is no joke. Every year before school starts every kid needs new notebooks, new pencils, and even new clothes. However, this actually another great time for single parents to find other single parents to date. As kids pick out their supplies, you can chat with some of the other parents, and maybe meet some that are single. A Kids' clothing stores are another great place to meet other parents any time of year because, let's be real, kids seem to need new clothes constantly. Everyone seems to know somebody that’s single, so there is a good chance that the people you meet will too. Grocery shopping, with or without kids, is yet another place where single parents can meet other people to date. You meet new people every time you go shopping anywhere, so why not take advantage of it and use the time to get to know people? You never know where things will go.
The Zoo
A great place for single parents to find dates is at your local zoo. The zoo is always filled with parents taking their kids out on a fun outing, especially in the summer months when school is out. As your kid or kids are looking at the animals, you will have the perfect opportunity to chat with the other moms and dads that are there with their kids. There is a good chance that you will meet at least one other single parent while you are there. It is also very likely that you will see them more than once while you walk (or run) around the zoo with your child so you will be able to chat with the people you meet more than once. If your kid seems to get along with theirs, you can even invite them to get a treat for the kids with you so that you will have the opportunity to sit and chat with the other person even more.
The Gym
The gym is yet another place where single parents can find other singles to date. These days most gyms offer to watch your kid in a little playroom while you work out. So you can spend this kid-free time working, but also use it to meet other people who are working out. You may not meet a lot of other single parents at the gym, but there are usually a few single people there still. If you are waiting for a machine to open up and you see another person also waiting, why not start chatting with them? Some gyms also have group classes with an instructor telling you and showing you what to do. These classes can be another way to meet people that may be single, whether they are also parents or not. You can open up a conversation about the class and keep it going to get to know them.
Work
Do you have that one coworker who seems to constantly be trying to set you up on a blind date or introduce you to every single person they know? Well, it might be time to take them up on it. It may feel awkward or seem silly, but meeting people at work or through your coworkers is actually a great way for single parents to find people to date. When meeting someone this way, you at least know that they are a real person. You don’t have to worry that they aren’t because someone you know actually knows them. Also, there is a good chance that the person who set you up will tell you at least a little bit about them before the date so you can have an idea of what they like to do. Meeting someone that you work with or through your job and going on a date with them is also another way for single parents to find people to date. Assuming it’s okay with the company that you work for, getting to know someone while at work is a great way to keep things casual until you are ready to ask them out on a date.