Safe Online Dating Tips for Single Parents

Getting back out in the dating scene as a single parent can be a daunting endeavor, but it is worth it to find personal happiness apart from the happiness that you have with your children. If you are ready to take the leap and start online dating, you should know that the internet is full of lots of different characters and it is of the utmost importance to keep yourself and your children safe from online threats when you enter this world. Read below to find out some tips on how to stay safe when online dating as a single parent.

Be Honest Without Revealing Too Much

It is important to state in your dating profile that you have children, but there is no need to go into further detail about their ages, names, or anything else about them. This information can be revealed when you meet with dates in person and get to know them better. Strangers do not need to know anything except for the fact that you have children because then you are letting potential dates know that you have other priorities and responsibilities. The fact that you have children will deter any potential matches that have no interest in being a step-parent and will save you time and effort on dates. 

Choose The Right Dating Platforms

There are so many dating apps on the market right now and it can feel overwhelming at first with how many choices you have. The great thing about most of these platforms is that they have a plethora of filters to help you narrow down your search for the perfect partner, but not all dating apps are equal. The best thing you can do is download a few that seem to be your speed and play around with them. If you find that one dating app feels safer than another one, then keep going with that one and maybe push the other ones to the side. Some platforms are very aggressive and others cater to specific groups, so make sure that you are using ones that allow you to acknowledge your status as a parent and help you find like-minded people. 

Be Cautious About Your Profile Photos

It is good to err on the side of caution when using a dating app because you never know who is going to be on there. Try to avoid posting any photos with your children’s faces, as they cannot consent to being online in that way. If you can avoid it altogether, try not to post your children at all. Your profile photos should show you doing activities you like to do and should focus on you, not others. To keep your children safe, the best rule of thumb is to keep them out of dating apps and only introduce them to a partner if you have been seeing them for a while and things are getting serious.

Dating online is so common nowadays that nobody bats an eye when you say you are joining a dating app. It is hard to find someone these days, especially if you have a busy life as a single parent, so it is okay to do what you can to find happiness.