Family
How do you make room for companionship without unsettling your children?
Why this question matters
Single parents are often described as though their life is on hold. It is not. It is full, and it belongs to more than one person.
Wanting companionship does not compete with loving your children. It does mean the timing, the pace and the introductions deserve thought.
You may be carrying
- Little time, and guilt about the time you do take
- Uncertainty about when, or whether, to mention someone to your children
- A co-parent whose opinion complicates every plan
- Worry about your children meeting someone who then leaves
Consider this
- Decide what belongs to you and what belongs to your household before anything is introduced.
- Consider what steadiness would look like to your children, in their words rather than yours.
- Notice whether you are waiting for the right time, or for permission.
A question to sit with
What would you want a future partner to understand about your children before they meet them?
What others may be carrying
The same situation is lived differently by different people. In one conversation you might be sitting with:
- A parent with full custody and no childcare
- A parent whose children are grown and now encouraging them
- A parent who is content and is not looking at all
Related Pillow Talk questions
You Don’t Have to Carry Every Conversation Alone.
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