Contents
Entering any kind of relationship as a single parent is inherently more complicated than otherwise. When you’re young, single, and maybe a little bit naive, you can afford to make some mistakes when dating. You only really have a responsibility to look after yourself and your partner.
But when you’re dating as a single parent, there are more people involved in the relationship, and they can get hurt if things go wrong. You have to be careful, and as things progress in your relationship, it’s up to you to help your date build a healthy relationship with your children.
Eventually, you might find yourself planning a trip down an aisle to sign some papers and legally blend your families together. This is where this article can help.
Open Communication
Any relationship is built on the foundations of communication. If you can’t communicate with your future spouse before the wedding, it doesn’t bode well for the future. Wedding planning is one of the most stressful things a couple can go through, so do what you can to reduce your wedding stress.
Sometimes when we’re stressed, we take it out on those we love, like our family, fiance, and even our kids. This isn’t fair to them, so you will have to be open about your stress. If you have any concerns, talk about them as soon and as calmly as possible.
Work together as a team to sort out stressful situations. You should also keep your children in the loop. No matter how old they are, this represents a huge change in their lives, and it wouldn’t be fair to blindside them.
Set a Budget
Talk about setting a budget for your wedding, as you already have a family to feed and look after. Going into debt for a wedding can put you into a hole that takes years to dig out of.
Sometimes dialing back on your wedding plans can result in a lovely day for everyone. A small, more intimate wedding is less stressful to plan and far less expensive than a huge princess wedding.
Involve Your Children
Your children are the most important people in your life, and they should feel like a priority. Even if they have a good relationship with your future spouse, they might still get upset at the prospect of a major change like a wedding.
Some children feel as though you don’t love or value them as much. This can be even more difficult to deal with if your fiance has children of their own, who might be going through similar issues.
As mentioned before, communication can nip a lot of this in the bud, or at least make you aware of their concerns. One way to help them realise that they are still a priority is to involve them in your wedding. Ask for their opinions on some things like the wedding cake or decorations. Make sure that they are part of the wedding party, and dote on them so they feel loved.
Leave a Reply