Dating is never easy, but for single parents, it can be even trickier. Where do you meet someone when you have minimal time, and when your main focus is on your kids? Thankfully, in the age of technology, meeting people has become much easier.
Meetup
Meetup is a great site for single parents who are looking for someone with similar interests or who want to involve their children in the process of meeting prospective dates. There are groups for singles who like to hike, for dancing and dinner groups, for singles with kids to do things with their children (think bowling, skating, etc.) – you can even join groups that are age-specific. It's free to sign up, and you can browse groups by type, ZIP code, and pretty much any other specification you like. A bonus to Meetup is that even if you don't make a love connection, you're likely to make some friends. And if you take your child along, chances are your kid can make some friends as well.
Dating apps
The sky really is the limit on dating apps. Sure, there are your more popular ones: Tinder, Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel – but there's an app for anything you like. Plenty of Fish is one of the more popular apps, and it's one that Katie Thompson of Athens chose to use when she decided to try online dating. "I wanted something that was free and that was easy to navigate, and POF worked for me. I had some less than impressive dates, sure, but for the most part it's been amazing, and I have met a lot of really interesting people," she said. "I would recommend it to anyone looking to stick their toe into the dating pool and see what's out there."
Matchmakers
Atlanta has plenty of single parents, and if dating sites or being set up by friends isn't working for you, you can always drop the cash for a matchmaker. They aren't all for millionaires, after all. There are matchmakers in Atlanta who will find you people searching for the same things you are. For busy single parents, that's often a better option than swiping on apps. Single Atlanta and 1 On 1 Matchmaking are two of the top-rated ones in Atlanta.
Dating websites
Much like apps, dating websites are all over the place these days. All of them have the ability to join and search for free, but some ask for payment for more specific features that are available, such as seeing if someone has read your message or if someone has "liked" your profile. The four most popular websites are Match, eHarmony, Plenty of Fish and OKCupid – but there are more. A simple Google search will load you up with websites that focus on comic book aficionados, people looking for farmers, and those that are looking for a specific body type.
