Single Parent Christmas Dating: How to Balance Kids, Romance & Santa Duties

The challenges of single parent Christmas dating can feel like they stack up on top of one another. Juggling your kids, presents, and dating can be tough on a regular day, let alone when you’ve got a turkey in the oven and your parents are due in fifteen minutes!

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We want you, along with every single one of our readers, to enjoy your festive season while finding time for yourself and your kids. That might sound like an impossibly tall order, but it’s doable, trust us! Here’s our guide on how to make single parent Christmas dating fit in with everything else on your mind.

Simple Advice for Single Parent Christmas Dating

• It’s Okay to Not Date for a While: It’s totally okay to step away from dating for a little while. It can seem scary to be alone over the festive period, but the truth is that it’s better to be alone and happy with your kids than coupled up with someone you’ve settled for. If you find that you simply can’t juggle everything all at once, it’s okay to put at least one of the balls down.
• This Christmas Doesn’t Have to Replicate Other Ones: If you recently split up with the other parent of your kids, you may feel you have to make this Christmas a perfect copy of happier times. For some, this could include some single parent Christmas dating to fill an empty chair at the table. Let us tell you, without a shadow of a doubt: this Christmas doesn’t have to replicate anything. Do your best, and make your kids happy, and it will all fall into place.
• Be a Little Scroogey If You Need: If this is one of your first Christmases as a single parent, it can be frustrating to see happy families and couples under the mistletoe. The sense of jealousy that we feel is perfectly natural, and it’s paired with a sense of nostalgia for happier Christmases. As the Frolo team shares on their site, “allow those feelings to come and go without judgment.” Suppressing them will only make them worse. To prevent this seasonal grumpiness from impacting your kids, try keeping a diary, chatting to your friends, or getting into your hobbies to destress.
• Instagram Is Not Real Life: When you’re scrolling through social media, it can be tempting to believe that everything you see is a perfect representation of reality. Of course, though, we know it’s not. Julia Hasche from Single Mother Survival Guide shared that sentiment about Instagram, and about TV and print media. When you’re a single parent Christmas dating it can be tempting to compare your life to what you see on social media. Don’t fall into the trap!
• Seeing Your Ex Can Be Tough: Depending on how the relationship is between your kids and your ex-partner, you might be in a situation where you have to see them for a while. That can be tough, make no mistake. Do what you can to make it easier on yourself, whether that’s deliberately blanking them or seeing if there’s a way you can get out of attending that particular gathering. By prioritising your wellbeing, you’re prioritising your ability to look after your kids, and that’s what comes first.
• Prioritise Yourself Where You Can: It’s not always easy to put yourself first as a single parent. Lots of single parents feel that they may have failed, or otherwise might not deserve to be put first. This isn’t true. You deserve love, kindness, and compassion just as much as anyone else! Take a little time for yourself whenever you can, even if it’s just two minutes, having a cup of tea after you’ve put the kids to bed.

Do You Have a New Boo This Christmas?

If you’re in the early days of a new relationship, it can be really exciting to think about Christmas dates and opening presents from one another! However, of course, it’s important to prioritize your kids as well. The best way to balance these two important facets of your life is to plan them both well in advance. Unfortunately, that can also be quite boring.

Despite the boredom, the only way out is through. Take the time to sit down with your new partner and have a chat about what you both want out of the festive season. Do you want to exchange gifts and cards? Would you like to spend Christmas together, and, if so, where and with whom? By sitting down and getting this straightened out, you can save yourself time, confusion, and stress later on.

This can also be a good time to book in some time for yourself. Single parent Christmas dating does involve blocking out bits of your schedule in certain locations, so you can suddenly be aware of any gaps or spare time you’ve got. Fill those gaps in with self-care activities, from the simple ones like running a bath to the more decadent, like festive champagne with your new boo.

Being a single parent is one of the toughest jobs in the world, and it can be even tougher at Christmas. Whether or not you’re a single parent Christmas dating, take it step by step, and you’ll be able to make a fabulous Christmas no matter what.