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Dating is an adventure in itself, full of excitement, uncertainty, and unexpected twists. But when you’re a single parent, you add a new dimension to this adventure. It’s like dating with a unique set of rules and challenges that have a profound impact on how you experience dating, love, and romance.
Stir, the dating app for single parents (not yet available in the Netherlands), has conducted research into these experiences among 2,000 single parents. And it shows that 80% of them have imposed higher dating standards on themselves since becoming a parent.
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Priorities
Whether you’re looking for a laid-back, long-distance relationship or something more serious, one thing is for sure: your kids come first. In fact, 64% of single parents consider parenthood to be one of their greatest assets. The results also show that more than half of single parents (57%) are embracing their crazy side more than they did before they had kids, with women (58%) outpacing men (55%).
Another 57% say dating is fun for them because it brings them joy. In addition, single parents are now more open-minded (49%) and confident (32%) than ever before.
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The bar is set high
Having fun is high on the wish list, but single parents don’t have the time or patience for games when it comes to dating. A whopping 80% of single parents believe that now that they want to be a role model for their child, they set higher standards for themselves than when they were pre-parents. What are the common misconceptions that you as a single parent face?
- you don’t have time or energy for dating (34%)
- your life must be extremely complicated (32%)
- you are looking for a co-parent instead of a romantic partner (32%)
The opposite, however, appears to be true, as suggested by research conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Stir . The parents surveyed say they have a clearer idea of what they want in a partner (48%), value romantic moments more (34%), and are willing to date outside their usual ‘type’ (23%).
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Time is precious
For single parents, every moment counts. More than half (51%) have a lower tolerance for drama since becoming parents. And guess what? They know within 38 minutes of the first date whether there is a real connection. What’s more, they want topics like life goals (55%), dreams for the future (51%), pet peeves (33%), and sexuality or intimacy (26%) to come up more often during dates.
When it comes to the physical aspect of dating, the timing for discussing and having sex varies. A small percentage of respondents (14%) believe it’s best to talk about boundaries , sexting , or sexual conversations before meeting in person. However, 39% will initiate these conversations within the first three dates.
How long does it take them to decide if they want to have sex with someone? It takes a single parent less than an hour (55 minutes) to make that decision. 27% of single parents say they need to be in an exclusive relationship to be physically intimate. But for almost a third (31%), first, second and third dates aren’t completely out of the question.
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