Going through a divorce is a difficult situation because of the amount of adjustment you’re having to do in every aspect of your life. One thing that’s often challenging is the sense of loneliness that you might feel. This might lead some individuals to pursue a new relationship quickly. Unfortunately, this can make the situation complex, especially if you have children.
A study done on 1,700 recently divorced women revealed that around 65% of them started dating within the first year of being separated or divorced. Around 78% thought about dating before the divorce was final. For the 20% who didn’t have children, they only had to think about themselves when they got back into the dating scene. The remainder of the women had to balance motherhood with dating.
It isn’t easy to begin a new relationship when you have children. While the raw emotions of the divorce are still fresh, it can be very hard because you have to try to help the children work through all of this. A huge source of stress in this situation is when to introduce the children to the new person, as well as just letting them know that you have a new love interest.
Some parenting plans have guidelines for when the children can meet a new significant other. There might be restrictions, such as no overnight adult guests, that make it even more challenging. Remember that you do have to abide by these rules and can face penalties if you’re found to have gone against them.
Ultimately, you have to do what’s best for your children. They might have trouble adjusting to a new person in your life, so be prepared to take things slowly until they can become more comfortable.