Being a single mom is a challenge within itself, let alone traveling with your children as well. It is likely that a lot of your time is taken up by your children. While it is lovely to spend time with them, teach them about the local culture and enjoy the experience with them, it is also important that you make time for yourself.
Dating is a great way to boost your confidence, make new connections, learn valuable social skills and potentially find a partner to spend the rest of your life with. Traveling can get pretty lonely. Although you may have your children with you, it is important to find someone that you can connect with on a deeper level. Connections are a great way to improve your health and happiness and reduce feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression.
Dating while traveling is a great way to find people who are interested in the same things as you, and find someone to spend your time with. Just because you have children, you should not rule out dating. Plenty of single parents have successful dates and relationships while traveling around the world.
Dating right now might seem like an impossible concept, but with the right strategies, you can enjoy life and get back into the dating world. Whether you are an expat in Spain or traveling wherever your heart takes you, dating as a single mom who travels is possible. Here are some top tips to help you get started.
#1 Pick a social area to reside in
If you choose to stay in a small, quiet area, then you are not likely to come into contact with many people. Instead, you should opt for a safe, lively location on your travels. This could be a lively hotel with activities for children and a bar for adults. It could also be a local community that is very active. It is important to research the areas before you go, to find a good balance between activities for adults, and appropriate activities for children.
#2 Regularly make trips to coffee shops and bars
If you are traveling long-term, it is likely that your children are going to make friends, participate in activities, or even attend the local school. This is a great opportunity for you to take yourself out and meet some local people. You can use this time to visit a local coffee shop to enjoy a break for at least an hour. This is an excellent way to meet local people and others who also enjoy spending time in the coffee shop. A lot of people will go on their own with their laptop or a book. When you see the same people a few times, it becomes a great way to start conversations and meet like-minded people. This method of meeting people is especially popular in places like Greece and Spain.
You may also treat yourself one evening and get a babysitter. This way you can head out to the town and visit some local bars.
#3 Connect with people online
Going out is not the only way to meet new people. Going out regularly can be particularly hard if you are traveling with your children, which is why online applications can be extremely helpful for making new connections and dating. You can go straight to dating applications, such as the best Spanish chat lines, or you can look at online travel groups and connect with others who are traveling in your area. You may also find that there are travel groups, specifically created for single people, single parents traveling with children, and dating groups. You can also use social media to find and connect with people traveling in the same areas as you, through relevant location tags and hashtags on Instagram.
#4 Be open to trying new things
Whether you choose to go out on your own, or with your children, one of the best things you can do to make new connections is to open yourself up to trying new things.
Trying new things can benefit your life in a plethora of ways, for example, improve your brain function, learn a new skill, tick something off your bucket list and have fun. It can also make you an excellent role model for your children, and provide you with new opportunities to meet new people. Trying something new will be difficult at first, but once you have overcome your fear, you will feel great. Go into the activity with the right mindset, and prepare yourself before you start. Whatever you decide to try, whether it is a hike, a parachute jump, taking up a cooking class to learn about the local cuisine, or starting tennis as a new hobby, you’ll not regret your decision.
#5 Let go of guilt
Guilt is a huge barrier for single moms when it comes to dating. If you feel guilty leaving your children while you go out, have fun and start dating, it is time to start releasing those feelings. You are allowed to do something for yourself, and it is important that you follow through on your commitments. Making new connections and having fun, will mean you are much happier and will reflect better on your children. It will also help them learn about life and responsibility.
As a single mom, you should not let feelings of guilt get in the way of you living your life. It can often feel like you will never win, as the feelings of guilt can come even on the smallest occasion, such as feeling like you are not playing with your children enough. Be compassionate with yourself, and do not compare yourself to other parents. Everyone is different, and you do not always see the full picture of someone’s life. Embrace your imperfections, and try to aim for a good balance between your family time, and time for yourself.
Traveling with children can add an extra challenge when trying to date, but it is not impossible. Follow these tips to help you get started.
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