by Marlin Bressi

Created on: April 29, 2009

Single mothers are an ever-growing part of the population, and in this day and age, most men will find themselves faced with the prospect of starting a relationship with a single mother. Before you make the decision to date a single mom, here are a few things you must keep in mind:

1. You will never come first in her life. Are you willing to play second fiddle to her child? Before you say yes, think about what it would be like to constantly be put on the backburner in a relationship. Most guys have trouble admitting to themselves the fact that they require attention. When you date a single mother, however, you will always be an actor in a minor supporting role, and never the main character.

2. Does she want you as a boyfriend or a baby's daddy? There is a very real possibility that the woman is attracted to you because you own a home, have a stable job, and a car with a backseat big enough for a child's car seat. Before you commit to any type of serious relationship, be certain that the single mother has an interest in you as a person, and not as a surrogate father or source of income.

3. Prepare to be compared. When it comes to many women who are single parents, their favorite topic of conversation will usually be their ex. So be prepared to constantly hear about the ex-boyfriend and how big of a jerk he was. When the single mom isn't complaining about her ex, she will be comparing you to him, so either way it's a lose-lose situation.

4. Don't expect alot of sex. When a woman has a child, her entire routine changes. She alters her sleeping habits, her eating habits, her spending habits, and of course her sexual habits. So don't expect the single mom to prance around in tight miniskirts; her sex appeal is now the furthest thing from her mind.

5. It will take longer to earn her trust. If a woman is a single parent, chances are she did not plan on it to be that way. Somewhere along the way, something went wrong with the child's father, and she may harbor trust issues which will prevent you from getting emotionally close to her. Have you ever seen those nature shown on the Discovery Channel where a mother lion is fiercely protective of her cubs? The same thing happens with humans. Her instinct will be to protect her child, which means that she will often be on the defensive.

Should you date a single mother? Some men can handle the situation, but the sad fact is that most men cannot. Even though we may not think of ourselves as high-maintenance creatures with a need to be the center of attention, many of us secretly are. If this sounds like you, you will never feel any type of emotional or physical fulfillment by dating a single mom.

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