Introducing Your Kids to Your New Partner HOW TO DATE AS A SINGLE PARENT
Whether you’ve been divorced for two years or 10, getting comfortable with the idea of re-entering the dating pool can be somewhat scary. This is especially true for parents whose primary concern, both during and after their divorce, is the well- being of their children. But even those who truly believe they’ll never get married again typically find someone who makes them want to experience the pleasures of love and intimacy at a time much sooner than they thought possible. With the sweet fumes of Valentine’s Day filling the air this month, you might find yourself pondering the possibility of re-entering the dating pool or taking your new relationship post-marriage to another level by introducing your partner to your children. For lots of divorced parents, this idea bears a lot of weight, which is why our team would like to offer some tips for you to keep in mind. 1. IDEA BEFORE PERSON Be honest about your feelings and help your kids understand why you have been spending time with someone new. Talk to them about feeling lonely and explain how you are ready to establish a
relationship with someone new. Introduce them to the idea of someone new before planning the actual introduction.
2. SHORT AND SWEET Keep the first meeting short and low-key by going to a neutral location like a restaurant or park. Give your kids a couple options and ask where they’d like to go. If your partner has children, try to avoid inviting them to join until after a few visits. 3. TIMING IS KEY Kids need time to grieve the loss of their family unit. They may be dealing with a new house or a new school, and they are learning to navigate custody rights and visitation, as well. It is of utmost importance to give your kids a chance to adapt to their new “normal” before introducing an unfamiliar partner. 4. RATE IT PG When the timing is right and you do introduce your new partner to your kids, keep it friendly at first. This means no PDA or sleepovers! Kids need time to adjust to the idea of you being with someone other than their other parent, as well as time to understand that your new relationship is not going to change their relationship with you.
Break the Monotony of Overplayed Board Games! FAMILY GAME NIGHT
ONE NIGHT WEREWOLF Every night, werewolves prowl around the village, and it’s up to the villagers to find the werewolf once the sun rises — before it’s too late. Each person plays a unique role with different abilities to help find or conceal the werewolf. If the werewolf is caught, the villagers win the game, but if the werewolf manages to escape, the villagers lose. Now you can bring some exciting variety into your family game nights. Don’t miss out on these excellent tabletop games, and most importantly, have fun!
Family game night is a time when a family can forget about all of life’s commitments and bond over a good old-fashioned board game. But the old, tattered Monopoly box or worn-out UNO cards can leave something to be desired, and the classics might be getting a little dull. If you’re tired of playing the same board games over and over, it might be time to start looking for ways to change things up. Here are four tabletop games you might not have heard of that are perfect for spicing up family game night. MYSTERIUM Your family will love delving into this cooperative murder mystery game that is a mixture of Clue and Dixit. You can play as the ghost or as one of the mediums who enters the haunting. The ghost player gives each medium a clue or vision about a potential murderer, and the mediums have to guess which person, room, or weapon was used to murder the ghost player. After each turn, the ghost reveals whether each of the mediums’ guesses are right or not. If all of the
mediums succeed in guessing correctly by the seventh in-game hour, they work together to find the true murderer.
LASER CHESS A classic game of chess is a great way to
spend an evening, and it just got a little more interesting. Laser chess includes all the problem- solving skills a typical chess game offers but with a twist. At the end of each turn, a player fires a small laser beam that bounces off the mirrored chess pieces. If it hits the non-mirrored surface of a piece, that piece is taken by the player. A player wins when the opposing player’s king piece is illuminated. CATAN Welcome to the island of Catan! After a long voyage at sea, the people in your expedition compete against other seafarers in building settlements. Enjoy the 45–90-minute game as you and your family build roads, barter resources, and race for absolute supremacy on Catan.
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