By all means, there should definitely be some effort put into finding another relationship. There are other factors to consider in asking a question like this, however. We won't say it's you per se, but for the purposes of answering it, we'll just generalize the subject person as 'you'. Even though the question determined the person as being female, I'll still show you both sides of the perspective. First off, how old are you? Are you male, or are you female? What kind of relationship was this? Marriage? Long Term relationship? Short-Term relationship? Was the birth of the child accidental? How old is the child? These are all factors, but in all respects not all of them may weigh as heavily as others. For example, if this relationship you are speaking of was a marriage, then maybe some time should be taken before you start another relationship. The child, depending on the age, may not understand why mommy/daddy suddenly has a new man/woman in their life, and why mom and dad aren't together anymore. If the child is of an age where he/she understands what happened, and can understand why you have someone new, then there's no problem. By all means, go out and find someone, but you also have to make sure that you are ready to move on also. If this was a marriage or a long-term relationship, you may not be as ready as you think to move on yet. On the flipside of the coin, if this was a short-term relationship, where the birth of the child was potentially an accident, or something else, then you may have some trouble. Depending on how old you are, especially if you are still in your teens or early 20's, lets say about 15-25 years old, then chances are you will have a very hard time finding somebody who wants to get into a relationship with someone that young who already has a child. Unfortunately most people aren't willing to commit to somebody who has a child from a previous relationship when they feel that they still have many more years in their life to go before a child comes into it. However, you can once again take the male/female perspective into consideration. Are 'you' male or female? If 'you' are a male, then there is a very good chance that there's a woman out there who will tolerate and may even be happy to get into a relationship with a man who has a child. On the other hand, if 'you' are a woman, a single mother with a child, then chances are 'you' will have a hard time finding a man who wants to commit to 'you'. From my persepctive, I'm a 21 year old guy, and someone I love very much ended up having a child. As much as I love her, I'm not ready to be a father figure to her child, despite the fact I consider myself very mature and well-to-do for my age, and I want to be with her more than anything, I know full well that I am not ready to take on the role as a father figure, and that is the thinking of many men in this age range. So take the male/female factor into effect...chances are a male will have an easier time finding a woman if he has a child, moreso than a single mother. But also remember that this isn't entirely true...i'm basing my answer off of what I see most every day. Also, take into consideration custody of the child...is it yours full time, living at home all the time, or is it shared custody? That is a big factor also, since some people may be more comfortable with someone who doesn't have the child around all the time. Since we've established the subject as being a woman in the question, focus on the aspects of this answer given for a woman. Remember that age, type of relationship, and custody of the child are among the most important factors in this decision. And of course, whether or not the person is ready to move on after this relationship is entirely up that person alone. The person must make sure to make it clear to the child, if the child doesn't already understand, just what exactly is happening. But by all means, if this person IS ready, then there should be no hesitation to look for another relationship. Raising a child on your own is very difficult, and to have someone there, even if it is not the biological father, would be a great help and potentially life-fulfilling occurrence. Don't wait until the child is grown up and ready to move on, and DON'T count on the child being ready to move out of the home at 18...i'm 21 and still living at home, if only because i'm going to grad school full time and need a place to be since I don't have time for a well-paying job. Your child may be with you longer than you think, and that's why its important to find someone now, who can help you carry the weight.

Well, the question is do you wish to have a life or not? No offense intended. I think the best strategy is to let your date know up front that, yes you do have a kid and that person is special to you. You ARE a package deal and any potential partner should know that right away. That way, if you meet someone who doesn't wish to date a person who is a single parent, the relationship can break off before any kind of emotional commitment is made. Oh, and don't bring your child along on the first few dates. That can get uncomfortable. If you are asking this question from a purely philosophical question, should someone who had a child be dating at all? I don't see why not. A single person can juggle kids, career and relationships. It's just a bit harder to do. Life doesn't end just because a single person has a child. I happpen to be dating someone who had two.

It all depends on what you feel like. If you want to start a relationship then by all means, do that.Don't feel like since you have a child then you shouldn't see other people.It will be good for you. Don't hide behind rocks, jump out and explore!

I don't see why not. It is risky (such as the child may become attached to the person and the relationship may not last), but what relationship isn't somewhat of a risk? I began dating a man when my daughter was four years old. We have now been married for almost three years and he adopted my daughter six months after we were married. Now we are raising our daughter together.

Wow, there are already so many great and positive answers here. I agree, life doesn't end because you're a parent. Go get 'em! So now, I have to be the downer here, but this may not apply to you or any other single parent. Please don't be offended, it is just another perspective. Be realistic. I dated a single dad who had 2 sons. He was 11 years my senior and I have no children. They were good kids for the most part, but had been through a lot and were out of control at times. He looked to me for advice, help, and support. I had no clue what to make of that since I was closer in age to his kids and had none of my own. He really needed somebody who had more experience with children in his life. I bailed. Mostly because he got on my nerves with his needy disposition, but the kids were a factor too. Keep your cool. Some people get into relationships and at the outset the "package deal" seems okay and they go with it and later realize that it's just not their thing. I remember distictly that the first guy my Mom dated after her divorce was a jerk and he eventually broke it off. She was devestated and I recall being told it was my fault because he didn't like kids. That might have been true, but it should never have taken out on me. That is just so wrong, need I say more? Date for the right reasons. If you are struggling financially, don't look at mates as a form of relief. My current significant other was in this situation and his former girlfriend had moved in and out with guys as a means of survival. She couldn't keep a job and was always in need of money and a place to live. I can only imagine how hard this was on her daughter. Very sad. Best of luck to you. And like I said, go get 'em and have fun!

Wait until your child is in their teens. My parents divorced when I was a baby and my mom remarried when I was three. She neglected me so she could spend time with her husband, and I was sexually abused by my older stepbrother and stepuncle. It was very painful to me at such a young age to have a mom who didn't seem to care about me or what happened to me, who was wrapped up in a new relationship. You brought the child into the world, he didn't ask for it, and he deserves a mother/father who is available to him, and not running around dating and getting into the drama of romantic relationships. It takes enough time and energy as it is to raise a child. When the kid is a teenager though, he will get wrapped up in his own life, hanging out with friends, etc., and then that is the time when you can start having fun too. On the other hand if you are the type of person who will not neglect your child when you get in a relationship, then that is not fair to your boyfriend, because you will be neglecting him. Everything just cannot be juggled. You will be pulled in all different directions, and you will just end up confused and frazzled and not be good for anyone, your child or your boyfriend. So make life easy on yourself, have a social life with a few girlfriends, but focus on being there 100% for your child. Children can never get enough love and attention from their parents, and it will pay off in the long run. You don't want your child to grow up all depressed and angry because he had a bad childhood, because then he'll be living with you forever, unable to get a job, etc. But if you nurture him now when he's little, he'll thrive and end up doing great in school, going to a good college, getting a great job, and you will look back and be able to be proud of yourself that you did such a great job with him.

There is no reason you should wait to form a relationship with another person until your children are grown. However, the manner in which you conduct your relationship can make all of the difference. Let me use my circumstances as an example. I formed a personal relationship with another person about eight months after separating from my first wife. We really enjoyed each other's company, but we also considered what might be best for our children. Neither of us wanted to move in with one other, at least not for some time. Both of us wanted to spend some time living on our own, as we had both moved in with our first partners when we were fairly young. Neither of us wanted to put our children (my two, her three) through any more distress than they were already undergoing. A blended relationship is very stressful for both the adults and the children. At the time, our children did not get along particularly well. It would not have been 'one big happy family', if such a thing even exists. We had no desire to have any children together. Instead, we decided to wait until the children were much older before we co-habitated. This worked very well for us. We moved within walking distance of one another and, although we both moved more than once, made sure we lived close to one another. After 14 years we married and all of our children were involved in the ceremony. Four years after the marriage, we moved in with one another. Two of the children moved in with us at the time, as they were pursuing post-secondary education. Would this work for everyone? I don't really know, because most people never even think of managing a relationship in this manner. It has worked very well for us, but it requires people to be very commited to one another and have patience. There is no reason to rush into a new relationship, but there is no reason to delay it if you have met someone you like. You have the freedom to create any type of relationship you want.

I am a single mother. I have always been a single parent. I dated but I waited on bringing the (very few) men into my child's life, because I thought that the children get attached. Amazingly, because my daughter has only had me since the begining, she really didn't seem to care when a 5 year relationship ended for me. She had met him and interacted with him. He didn't live with us though. Just as the other people have said it depends on your definition of relationship. People use this word much like they use the word love. We have relationships with everyone we meet. It is the nature of the relationship which affects the situation. I never showed overt affection towards him in front of the child, because at certain ages, children think, if mom's doing it so can I. In private, we were a couple, with the aide of baby sitters and sleepovers. I would suggest knowing the man in many situations before allowing him to get to close too quick, though. I hope this helps.

My parents divorced when I was 16. After, my father moved half-way across the country. My brother and I remained with our mother, who immediately began dating another man and married him within one year. (She divorced him 4 years later.) She essentially abandoned us to pursue her own interests/wild oats/sex drive/whatever at a time when we needed a parent the most. I assumed the care of my younger brother, a house, and my own schooling. To all those parents who divorce and take their kids into new, or multiple relationships - just know that I am now 26, and there is not a day that goes by that I don't deeply resent my mother for leaving my brother and I emotionally for a man at a time when we needed her most. That sense of abandonment follows me to this day.

No. if you make this decision now, mr. right may come along and because of your decision to wait, lose out on a promising opportunity. children are flexable and will normally accept, what you accept. why wait? you are not getting any younger. if opportunity knocks, answer the door, with a smile on your face.