Single Parent Dating Tips for Moms

It is the single mom with children that can sometimes have the most problems dating because often they lack confidence. Many are alone simply because they have been with an immature or even abusive partner and it can be difficult to start again.
Here are some tips for single female parents for having successful dating experiences.

• Stop worrying about your kid's approval. They are likely not going to like seeing you try to date or who you are dating. Please yourself.

• Get someone other than your ex or a family member to babysit. This reduces judgment, gossip and problems with meddling loved ones.

• Stop worrying about your date's approval. You have to be yourself because if you are going to be in this for the long term, you will not be able to put an act on every day…

• Avoid experimenting with a hairstyle or doing anything risky with your appearance before a first date. Don't try too hard to impress others. Be yourself!

• Instead of making the conversation about yourself, ask questions about him. However do not get too personal or he will see you as an interrogator. This is also a good way to really get to know him.

• Talk about mature subjects. No baby talk. Talk about current events and things that truly interest you that have nothing to do with you or your children. This is how you can find out how much you have in common.

• If you talk about your children, be proud and mention their accomplishments only. However don't brag! If you make it sound like your kids are your entire life, your potential mate might think that you will have no room for him in his life.

• Take it easy during the date and go with the flow. Anything can happen and whatever happens does not make a big deal out of it. If you spill wine or end up at a bad restaurant, do not escalate anything into a drama. Men like women who are easy-going and positive.

• Don't be too much of a princess and do things like send your food back in the restaurant as men do not like finicky high maintenance women. Do your best not to talk about anything that can remotely be perceived as being neurotic.

• Never talk about your ex or any problems with exes and in particular do not compare your date with him or any male.

• Be sure to have a sense of humor about the date, both with him and your kids. This especially applies if the date did not go that well.
If you want to see the guy again then dates as many people as possible. Do not call him a lot and pester him for a second date. 'A date' does not mean you are together. Males tend to like women that they have to chase a bit, even if they are saddled with two jobs and five kids!

Parenting Tips
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How to Find a Babysitter in the Neighborhood

Holiday season is coming and it can be difficult to find a good babysitter. It is even harder if you have moved into a new neighborhood and don't know anyone. Here are some tips on how to find that person you need.

Many parents would rather hire an individual who is a 'known quantity' and familiar to other people in their neighborhood just simply because that familiarity breeds trust. If they know your babysitter than he or she has a bit of a support team at his or her disposal should something go wrong?

Finding a babysitter in your neighborhood is generally quite easy if you live in a suburb or smaller town that is friendly to families. However it can be a little more difficult if you live in a big urban area where teens and young people are known to have a rough time or in an area where there are not a lot of families. It can also be difficult to find someone if you are quite new to town and don't have enough acquaintances to find a babysitter via personal recommendations or 'word of mouth.'

Here are some simple ways to find the person you need as fast as possible.
• Place ads in your local classified, local gym, grocery store, church and YMCA.
• Take an ad to your local employment agent or youth employment agent.
• Call your high school and see if there is a babysitting club.
• Introduce yourself to the neighbours and see who they recommend and be very sure to ask many questions about his or her honesty, reliability and trustworthiness .
• Talk to your co-workers and see if they can refer someone to you.
• Keep your eye on the light posts, local bulletin boards and the bulletin board Laundromat. Babysitters often leave paper flyers with number tabs on them for you to call.

You can also find a sitter by going onto the Internet. One way to find a sitter in your area is to simply go to a popular search engine like Google or Yahoo and type in 'babysitter' followed by the name of your town. For instance if you live in Springville, you would type 'Babysitter Springville.'

You can also find a babysitter on Craigslist. This is one of the largest lists that exists that offers specific postings from specific neighborhoods all over North America.

Another option is to use your local social networking platform like Facebook or Twitter. Very often just putting up a status update such as 'Does anyone know where I can find a good babysitter?' will often get you immediate results!

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