Single parents, ready for online dating? A little expert advice [video]

Single mamas: Is it time to take the leap into online dating? Or to return to that crazy, wonderful, slightly filmy, possibly fun pool? Let me be your lifeguard. Or at least the friend who pushes you in when you're hemming and hawing over how frigid the water might be and whether it will mess up your freshly blown-out 'do. 

I've been there, you know. Until I met the Not Boyfriend, I met most of my dates on Match.com. And for the most part, it was a great experience. Since men weren't showing up in my dining room where I work and since the dads on the playground are often married, I needed a place to meet up with other people. Online dating provided that for me. And there, I chatted with, got to know, sometimes dated, occasionally began relationships with men that were outside the box for me - a corporate lawyer, a sexy bad-speller chef 10 years my senior, a Barack look-alike, even a guy I knew in high school. 

Although none of those men stole my heart the way the Not Boyfriend did, I still encourage - ok, INSIST - my single mama friends give it a go with online dating. Sure, it's a little nerve-wracking to begin and it can definitely be overwhelming, especially if there is a (former) marriage or long-term relationship sandwiched between your current dating desires and the last time you pulled on a huggy little first-date dress. 

But there's also lots of good news. You are not alone - Match.com alone has noted a 180% increase in single parents with kids living at home on their site, tallying up to a third of the site's total users. Recent surveys of daters online show that 67% of men and 59% of women would like to date a single parent. 

With all those single parents on dating sites, looking for great companions, hilarious dinner dates and maybe even some good loving, how can you muster up the courage to get confident, get on there, be fabulous and have fun -- just after school pick-up, before a soccer game and after a huge work deadline is done?

Luckily, relationship expert and online dating maven Whitney Casey from Match.com has lots of advice for single moms who are ready to give it a whirl. We sat down last week and she answered all my questions about how to get the most out of and be your very best when you're dating by phone/tablet/laptop. 

Here's Whitney's expert advice on navigating profile pics by men posing in nasty bathrobes and with strippers, how to shine in your own photos and how to gracefully swan-dive into online dating. 

This post is sponsored by Match.com. The questions are my own, the interview was conducted by me. 

PS. For those of you paying super-close attention, my website addy is SassafrassBlog.com. Don't get confused by what's listed on this video or you'll end up hundreds of dollars in the hole on crafting supplies, and with zero single mama style and relationship advice. 

Comments

[Chloe Pratt]

If the parents are separated or divorced, children live with their custodial parent and have visitation or secondary residence with their noncustodial parent. In western society in general, following separation, a child will end up with the primary caregiver, usually the mother, and a secondary caregiver, usually the father. Thank you for this informative blog.