06:22
Faizan
Pursuing an adult love life while you parent a toddler may be a significant challenge. If you are dating again after a separation or divorce, you will have special issues to consider for the well being of your child. General dating guidelines apply for all situations to ensure that your child feels secure and happy.
Prioritize Your Toddler
Toddlers need a structured and loving environment in the home for optimal security, advises child psychologist Kenneth N. Condrell, with the Fisher-Price website. These needs can become more pronounced for a toddler as she moves beyond babyhood and begins exploring the world around her. Even if the adult in you wants to pursue dating to meet people and have fun, continue to prioritize your toddler’s needs by maintaining a structured daily routine for meals, naps, playtime and bedtime. Stay involved with your toddler emotionally by interacting with her positively to ensure the bond with your toddler remains strong.
Keep Casual Dates Away
It’s common to date casually until you meet someone you connect with on a deeper level. While you date a variety of people, protect your toddler from this process, advises Ellen Bowers, author of “The Everything Guide to Raising a Toddler.” Your toddler may become confused or insecure if he meets too many dates coming and going in your life. Protect your child by leaving him with a babysitter and meeting your dates away from your home.
Introductions
When you do meet someone special, give it enough time to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and secure in the relationship. After you feel confident that this person will remain in your life for the foreseeable future, plan an introduction between your toddler and your friend. Keep the introduction casual, however, resisting the urge to refer to your date as “daddy” to your toddler. As long as everyone feels happy and comfortable, you might begin having some family “dates” that include your toddler. If your toddler shows signs of feeling overwhelmed with the introduction, provide extra love and support and do not push your toddler. Try another introduction in a few weeks, perhaps in a different environment or situation.
Special Divorce Concerns
If your new dating status results from a separation or divorce, your toddler will need special consideration and care to navigate the divorce process. Keep your toddler’s daily routine as unchanged as possible to ease the transition. Expect more separation anxiety, temper tantrums, aggression and even regression as your toddler reacts to the divorce, warns psychologist Daniel Pickar, with the Sonoma County Medical Association. Give your child as much emotional support and consistent discipline as possible during this time to help her adjust to the divorce. After negative behaviors subside and your child seems adjusted, you might begin to turn some of your attention to a new dating status. Follow the same guidelines of protecting your toddler from casual dates, waiting for an introduction until you find someone special.
Prioritize Your Toddler
Toddlers need a structured and loving environment in the home for optimal security, advises child psychologist Kenneth N. Condrell, with the Fisher-Price website. These needs can become more pronounced for a toddler as she moves beyond babyhood and begins exploring the world around her. Even if the adult in you wants to pursue dating to meet people and have fun, continue to prioritize your toddler’s needs by maintaining a structured daily routine for meals, naps, playtime and bedtime. Stay involved with your toddler emotionally by interacting with her positively to ensure the bond with your toddler remains strong.
Keep Casual Dates Away
It’s common to date casually until you meet someone you connect with on a deeper level. While you date a variety of people, protect your toddler from this process, advises Ellen Bowers, author of “The Everything Guide to Raising a Toddler.” Your toddler may become confused or insecure if he meets too many dates coming and going in your life. Protect your child by leaving him with a babysitter and meeting your dates away from your home.
Introductions
When you do meet someone special, give it enough time to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and secure in the relationship. After you feel confident that this person will remain in your life for the foreseeable future, plan an introduction between your toddler and your friend. Keep the introduction casual, however, resisting the urge to refer to your date as “daddy” to your toddler. As long as everyone feels happy and comfortable, you might begin having some family “dates” that include your toddler. If your toddler shows signs of feeling overwhelmed with the introduction, provide extra love and support and do not push your toddler. Try another introduction in a few weeks, perhaps in a different environment or situation.
Special Divorce Concerns
If your new dating status results from a separation or divorce, your toddler will need special consideration and care to navigate the divorce process. Keep your toddler’s daily routine as unchanged as possible to ease the transition. Expect more separation anxiety, temper tantrums, aggression and even regression as your toddler reacts to the divorce, warns psychologist Daniel Pickar, with the Sonoma County Medical Association. Give your child as much emotional support and consistent discipline as possible during this time to help her adjust to the divorce. After negative behaviors subside and your child seems adjusted, you might begin to turn some of your attention to a new dating status. Follow the same guidelines of protecting your toddler from casual dates, waiting for an introduction until you find someone special.
Posted in: Singles & Couples
