Parents Dating

There are all types of single fathers – single fathers who have sole custody, shared custody, no custody, widowed, never-married, absent, and well…. you get the picture.  No matter what “category” you fit in, do not underestimate the importance of your role in the life of your children.

Studies have indicated that children who grow up with little or no contact from their fathers are more likely to be involved in drugs, crime, and alcohol abuse than those children who have healthy relationships with their fathers.  Of course, if the children have come from an abusive relationship with their father, having no contact with the father is still the best option.  The single fathers that I am speaking about playing an important role in their children’s lives are those who have not been abusive or negligent and thus have never put their children’s safety at risk.

Just like men and women think differently, they also parent differently.  This is not good or bad, it just is.  Like Dr. Phil says on his popular daytime television show, children tend to relate most to the parent who is the same gender as that child.  This means boys relate more with their dads, and daughters with their moms.  However, it is just as important for sons to have a good relationship with their mothers, and daughters to have a healthy relationship with their fathers.

Related to this, studies have shown that daughters who have healthy relationships with their fathers, also have healthier self-esteems and are less likely to engage in sex at an early age.

So if you are a single father, please do not underestimate how important fathers are in the lives of their children.   You are put on a high pedestal by your children, and they learn from everything you do and say.

When dating, remember that you are a parent and your children are watching everything you do.  You and their other parent are the most important people in their lives, and although you may be moving on with dating, remember to be smart about how you date with kids.