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“What Is It Like to Date With Kids?”
Someone asked me a couple months ago what it’s like to date with kids. At the time I was still just freshly back into dating after taking a long break after my divorce.
My answer at the time was that it’s weird to come home and immediately interact with an adult right after being on a date. I had to get a babysitter every time. And I’m not sure if it was because my babysitter knew I was dating again, because she had stumbled across my comedy, or because she had recently been diagnosed with cancer… but for whatever reason one my main babysitters completely lost her filter. For her that means that she comments on how I smell. Funny but awkward to come home from a date and know that someone is going to immediately tell you what you smell like.
Now that I’ve been dating a bit more I’ve learned it’s more nuanced than that. In some ways it is a hurdle to overcome. I only have so much free time. But I’ve chosen to look at this more as a positive though. If someone is not worth the hassle of me finding a babysitter I might as well not bother dating them. I can do better.
Many people do not want to date someone who has kids. Another hurdle, but I’ve chosen to look at this positively as well. If someone is not good for my kids they probably won’t be that good for me anyway. Whether I like it or not the kids and I are a bit of a package…
