If you didn't have a child, would you be willing to accept a partner who does have children? Would you consider those children your own if the relationship was serious? How involved in raising them would you be?
While I'm not interested in starting a family from scratch I have absolutely no issue with dating a single mother. I like kids and see no reason why I should arbitrarily cut myself off from someone I may really like just because children are in the picture.
I completely understand, and fully expect, that said children will come first, second, and even third, well before me and my needs.
I would most certainly consider them my own. If the relationship got passed the "mom's friend" stage and into something more serious I would happily claim them as my own. Provided they, and her, were comfortable with that claim.
I would be as involved in raising them as she would let me be, though if I start feeling like a second class parent whose views and opinions on parental decisions are disregarded, that will become a problem in the long run.
I understand that there will be a learning curve as I acclimate to the parental role and it's myriad responsibilities but at a certain point I need to be viewed as an equal partner in the endeavor and treated as such.
Of course this presumes a relationship with someone whos children still have a lot of growing to do. Someone with older children, or even grown children, will have a fairly firm family dynamic already established. While I would want to be come a part of that dynamic I would not be looking to upset it or radically displace something that is already working for them just for the sake of feeling like I have a seat at the parental decisions table.
Have done has it good and bad points . Now I'm a single dad not sure what I'm gonna do opportunity hasn't arisen yet so not sure what will happen
I can recall examples from people I know where it worked and where the consequences were grave. Like all aspects of life, life is a gamble full of dangers and ultimately it is a deadly disease.
I most certainly would and would definitely want to be involved in raising them. I have never had a desire to have kids of my own, but children seem to love me, and I enjoy having fun with them.
children are a huge responsibility and a bigger burden. The fun part is only when they belong to some other person who will take them away at end of the day.