Ready to Date Again? What Every Separated Parent Needs to Know First

You've done the hard work of establishing your new normal after separation. Your heart’s finally had some time to heal, and you’re feeling ready to dip your toe back in… but jeepers it’s scary, right? This isn’t the same as the pre-kids dating game, there’s a whole heap more weighing on your mind.

Or perhaps you’re on the other side of the equation - you’ve got an inkling your ex has someone new on the scene and now you’re spiralling about what on earth this is all going to mean.

It makes sense your mind is spinning out with questions on this. It’s the kind of change that often prompts parents to book a call with me to figure out, “What the heck do we do now?”

So when Yvonne Rake invited me onto her Dating Greatly Podcast to talk about navigating new relationships while co-parenting, I knew we had to dig deep into what really matters.

I don’t do surface-level chit-chat - inside this conversation, we tackle the real fears that keep you awake at night:

In supporting co-parents, one of the things that breaks my heart is how many parents worry they're being selfish for wanting to date again. I want to be clear: seeking a healthy, warm relationship for yourself doesn't make you a bad parent. In fact, modelling healthy romance can be a gift to your children. And there's simply no limit to how many hearts can love a kid.

Ready to listen? This episode gives you practical tools to move forward with confidence, knowing you're protecting what matters most - your right to peace and happiness, your children's well-being and keeping co-parenting stable and calm.

Even if you're not dating yet yourself, or it’s your co-parent that’s started, this episode is worth a listen. Understanding what respectful dating looks like from both sides of the co-parenting fence will help you be prepared when either parent starts a new relationship. Knowing what’s reasonable to expect from your co-parent, and how to approach kid issues with a new partner means you'll be better equipped to support your children through these changes - keeping your children feeling loved, stable and connected as they grow up in both homes.