Finding love while handling parenthood is difficult. When you are a single parent, your children become part of every decision you make in your life. There are several challenges and obstacles that a single parent face. For single parents, dating means constantly juggling and negotiating with multiple peoples’ needs and problems. It requires a great level of multi-tasking and organizing skills to manage everything. At times the whole situation could be quite overwhelming. All these challenges make some single parents reluctant to put themselves out there. For busy parents who are hesitant or new to the dating scene, single parents dating sites are the perfect solution.

Many single parents are now turning to online dating. Moreover, with a large variety of options out there from single parenting dating sites to senior dating sites, people can actually find their perfect match with less effort. Single parents lean towards the online dating sites which cater specifically to single moms and dads. There are many reasons for this inclination, but primarily they want to find a partner who understands their struggles and relate to them.

10 Best Sites for Single Parents

Single parents are often quite conscious about whom they are going to date. Thus, considering all the factors that boggle a single parent. Our experts did extensive research and came up with 10 best sites for single parents. Most of these are completely free dating sites for single parents, but to enjoy their full features, you have to get a paid membership.

Relationship -> You can look for friends, dates and relationships.

Match System -> You can browse by zip code, age, appearance and many more attributes.

Our Expert Review ->

Match had over 9 billion paid subscribers in 2019, and it’s still growing. It caters its services to heterosexuals and LGBTQ singles in all ages. Can we call it a single parent dating site? Well, then the answer is no. However, they have an extensive list of filters which can help you find a single parent according to distance, age, interests and lifestyle.

Stand Out Features ->

  • An in-depth questionnaire which can help you find a highly compatible match.
  • It has a good gender balance, where 46% are male, and 51% are females.
  • Match events are organised events which give opportunities for single parents to mingle and meet new people in real-world like wine tastings, bowling nights, etc.
  • If you are unable to find anyone in the first 6 months, then you will receive another 6 months free subscription.
  • Missed connections is one of the unique service, which enables you to locate a person who may have crossed your path in the past.

Go To Match

Relationship -> For a long term and deep relationships.

Match System -> A personality test survey suggests matches.

Our Expert Review -> The site focusses on long-term, serious, committed relationships. The site has been successfully operational since 2000. This is a sophisticated online dating site created by a team of psychologists by using the principles of attraction. The matching tools are created by algorithms which can help you find true compatibility. The subscribers are expected to answer an extensive list of personality questions, which helps to connect to the strong potentials matches. If you are a single parent with marriage on mind, then this the perfect place for you. eHarmony has an excellent average of 542 marriage a day in the US, which is roughly 2% of marriages. However, the website caters only to heterosexual people.

Stand Out features ->

  • Patented 29 Dimensions Personality Assessment with 150 questions on a wide range of topics.
  • Elaborate dashboard which shows recent profile visits.
  • Premium members can browse anonymously and receive personalized assistance over the phone.
  • Premium Members also get access to 30 additional profiles a day.
  • eHarmony offers an additional 3 months membership for free if you are not satisfied with your first 3 months subscription.

Go To eharmony

Relationship -> You can find friends, casual dates, and long-term relationships. Exclusive for single parents.

Match System -> Personality tests including likes, dislikes, life goals etc. Much similar to other traditional dating sites.

Our Expert Review -> Single Parent Match is one of the most successful dating sites for single parents. It is one of the pioneers, which came up with the idea and plenty of opportunities for single parents to mingle and share their thoughts. You can sign up for free on the site but to contact other people you will have to upgrade. Or else hope for an already paid member to spot you in the crowd. However, gold membership has its own perks and preferential treatment where your profile will be pushed above the free accounts. One negative thing that we can point out about the website is its appearance. The website looks quite an old school and primitive in comparison to the latest designs of its counterparts.

Stand Out Feature->

  • You can chat, video message on their online dating app.
  • The website offers numerous articles and other learning resources for single parents.
  • Parents can join a single parent forum and share the struggles of their daily life or maybe some amusing ones.

Go To singleparentmatch

Relationship -> You can find friends, casual dates and long-term relationships.

Match System -> Customized personality test and my top interest section, which makes the profile more appealing.

Our Expert Review -> Just like other online dating sites for single parents, the sign-up process is completely hassle-free. It is completely up to the user how detailed they want their profile to be. Online dating app of Single Parents Meet offers a wide range of options to contact other members. You can interact through instant messages or make a video call, plus there is a chat room which offers a good opportunity for a single parent to mingle with each other. Once you upgrade yourself to a paid membership, you can avail a number of features.

Stand Out Feature ->

  • Promote me feature where you can promote yourself by giving a boost to your profile. This helps you to be more visible and be a part of top searches. You can do that by purchasing additional tokens.
  • Send virtual gifts to your matches.
  • It sends you an alert whenever your matches are online.

Go To singleparentmeet

Relationship -> Exclusively for single parents

Match System -> Personality tests that can help you find the right match.

Our Expert Review -> Just Single Parents caters to the most popular online dating niches of dating for single parents. You can search by ZIP codes, distance or country. You can sing up for free and browse the profiles, but to contact users, you need to upgrade. It has all the features of traditional dating sites but still not very popular. However, it is affordable in comparison to other single parent dating sites.

Stand Out Features->

  • Fun features like online magazine, astrology and horoscope information.
  • Members are primarily looking for long-term relationships.

Go To justsingleparents

Relationship -> Serious relationships

Match System -> Personality test and receive partner suggestions

Our Expert Review -> As the name suggests, this dating site is not for all. Only if you are looking for a serious, committed relationship then only you must go for it. More than 80% of members have either bachelors, masters or doctorate and are working professionals. Elite Singles has established itself as a premium dating service for working educated professionals. It currently has 2 million subscribers. The website matches potential partners with an extensive list of personality test, including 200 questions. Don’t form a wrong narrative in your mind that the site is going to be boring, based on all the information given above. Elite Singles do ensure that members have a safe, efficient and fun experience while dating online. Though the website doesn’t cater exclusively to single parents, yet the website promotes single parent dating and have a good number of a single parent as members.

Stand Out Features ->

  • Strong privacy and safety measures. ID authentication, manual profile verification, SSL inscription, and a proven fraud detection system.
  • Blogs from the renowned relationship experts on dating and relationship tips.
  • Premium members get 20 extra matches every day.

Go To elitesingles

Relationship -> You can find all kinds of relationships, heterosexuals to same-sex match, casual to serious relationships.

Match System -> Behavioral matchmaking technology which keeps customizing constantly and enhances matchmaking experience.

Our Expert Review -> Zoosk is the highest-grossing dating app with over 40 million users in over 80 countries. Moreover, currently, it supports 25 languages. Creating a profile on Zoosk is very simple; it takes your information from the social media accounts and integrates with the Zoosk account. Both the website and mobile app are very easy to use and have attractive designs. The good thing about Zoosk is that they have strict procedures for verifying their users and all the profiles on the websites are verified. However, several user reviews claim the presence of some questionable profiles. Thus, it can become a bit spammy at times. Overall, it is a great online dating app for single parents and has the full potential to be your most favourable app.

Stand Out Features ->

  • Great platform with clear design
  • Verified profiles
  • Highly customizable match profiles
  • Millions of users worldwide offer a wide number of profiles to choose from.

Go To zoosk

Relationship -> Only for serious relationships

Match System -> Personalized matchmaking service assisted by concierge matchmaker.

Our Expert Review -> Tawkify identified itself as matchmaking service, not a dating app. The app is pretty expensive and may cost you anywhere between $99 to $6000, depending on the level of service you want. Tawkify is a genuine and personalized matchmaking experience. The concierge matchmaker knows their job well and comes with good matches. After getting the confirmation from both parties, concierge then arranges for a fun date. If you are not satisfied with your experience, you can keep on trying until you find THE one.

Stand Out Features ->

  • 80% successful matches
  • Specialized services

Go To tawkify

Relationship -> Specialized for senior dating site for single parents and senior citizens.

Match System -> Search by location and likes and dislikes

Our Expert Review -> Finally an online dating service which serves to single parents and individuals over 50. The website has over 8.9 million users and ever-growing. Our Time is both advanced and yet easy to use. However, it has one condition that you should be over 50 to use it. The people on this website are looking for serious relationships and not hookups.

Stand out feature ->

  • Instant messages and chats
  • Expert articles on dating and relationships

Go To ourtime

Single Parent Passions

 

Relationship -> It is more of a social network than a dating app.

Match System -> There is no specific matchmaking system in place.

Our Expert Review -> As mentioned Single Parent Passions is not your typical dating app. It is more of a platform for single parents to meet online share their thoughts and experiences. You can see what other users are up to, join a chat room, send and receive emails, and if cupid stuck you, you might even find a match. Single Parent Passions is quite popular among single parent community due to its informal approach towards dating. Moreover, the icing on the cake is that it is absolutely free. So, in a way, it is a completely free dating site for single parents.

Stand Out Feature ->

  • The only feature that stood out here is its unconventional approach towards online dating. You can make plenty of friends here.

 

Visit Single Parent Passions

Now, you have got sorted and have plenty of options to explore and find love. However, we know balancing dating and parenthood is not an easy task. Dating for single parents follows the same path as single people, but you must expect a few extra bumps and quite a lot of detours. To ace this dating scene, you need to follow certain guidelines. So, here are our dating tips for single parents which covers everything from being open about your situation to deal with the guilt of dating.

Dating Tips for Single Parents

  • Children: The age of the child will determine the kind of obstacles you may experience. If your child is still young, then you will need dependable and flexible childcare. Dating for single parents means you need to improvise at each step. So, squeeze in your dates during school hours and avoid weekends. There is no perfect time to introduce a new person to your children. However, we suggest you avoid any surprises. According to Esther Boykin, a licensed marriage and family therapist and coach in DC, “If you have older kids, you may choose to share more casual details about your new relationship. But for younger kids its often best to introduce the idea that you have a new friend.” Always start with casual group activities like a visit to the mall or a picnic with common friends.
  • Don’t feel guilty: There is nothing wrong in wanting to date again. Wanting to be happy is not a crime, and a happy parent makes a good parent. You can’t spend 100% of your time with your children. As an adult, you need the company of an adult to stimulate your mind.
  • Be open and proud: Should single parent date? Of course, they should and must date. You took the difficult decision of being a single parent for the good of your family and you. Never ever feel guilty about being a single parent or past relationships. It is your family, and you should introduce it with pride.
  • Make time for self-grooming: So, we all know being a single parent is not easy. When you are wearing too many hats, you tend to forget about taking care of yourself.  So, take some time off from the parent duty and spend some time on self-grooming. This will make you feel confident the next time you go on a date.
  • Go one step at a time: You may be craving for the comfort of having someone to love and be loved, but you need to take things slow. Dating patterns as a parent are different from dating as a single person. So, take things slow and just wait for the love to slowly blossom again in your life.

Some Additional Tips for meeting your date offline

Now let’s assume you have set the date to meet your date for the first time. Normally offline meetings are safe, but we do advise you take a certain level of precautions.

  • No children: Never take children on your first date. Irrespective of the age of your child or the place you are meeting, you must avoid taking the child on your first offline date.
  • Always meet in public: For the first few meetings opt for populated public locations.
  • Tell someone about the date: Let your friends or family know about your plan and your location. Also, carry your mobile phones.
  • Stay Sober: It doesn’t need much explanation as we understand that we should not do anything which impairs our sense of judgement.
  • Arrange for your own transportation: You need to in control of your first ride. If you have a car and you drive then it is great, else ask for a friend to drop you, or you can always take a taxi.

The idea of single parent dating is not something to be frowned upon, no matter at what age you are. Dating is fun for all. You can start dating at any age, even if you have a kid. As long as you are proud and share your honest feelings with the person you are dating, you should not be worried. You want her/him to love the way you and your kids are. And who knows eventually your individual families fall in love with each other and fit in like missing puzzle pieces.