It would appear that men and women approach each other differently when there is a kid in the equation according to WhatsYourPrice.com. 64% of single women would date a single dad, however many men don't like the idea of dating a woman with a child.
Relationships on Female First
The taboo seems to lifting when it comes to dating a man with a child, just not for women. With the number of households being headed by a single father on the rise, it's no surprise that the chances of meeting man with a kid are dramatically increased. A quarter of these single parents have never been married and half are divorced or separated, which has resulted in a huge demographic when it comes to the dating pool.
"More single fathers are turning to WhatsYourPrice due to it's efficiency" says dating expert and CEO of WhatsYourPrice.com, Brandon Wade. "This way they can avoid an awkward situation of having to admit they are single parents and possibly receive a negative response."
Disappointingly; 33% of men wouldn't date a single mum, compared to the much higher figure in women. This is possibly due to the financial associations that are attached to single mothers and single fathers. Single fathers are often thought to be the financially stable ones in the split, where women are assumed to be on some kind of support from the state or from their previous partner. If the stereotypes were true men are put off by the idea of dating someone who is financially unstable or who still has associations with their ex, whereas men are deemed well off with no contact with the mother of their child. We all know that it's not necessarily that cut and dry.
The results revealed that single fathers go on just as many dates as a men with no dependents. In a previous study it was found that many fathers lie about having a child on their profile which suggests that perhaps they are not as brash about their circumstances as you might think. Those men under 20 were the ones who were more likely to lie about their home situation, compared to those over 30 who were not afraid to be honest about having a child a home.
Dating experts speculate the reason for the divide is economic:
"Society views men who opt to become single fathers as more dependable and financially secure. Whereas a woman could be relying on custodial support from the child's father or receiving aid from the state."
I asked the girls in the office and a lot of them, despite the positive stats above, would be put off by the thought of dating a man with a child. The main reasons suggested would be the insecurity of not knowing whether they would get back together with their ex. Many of them would not want to be a possible reason for a family not making another go of things. Like it or not, it is instinctive in many women, kids or no kids to think of the child and family unit and what affect their presence is having on a single father who has a deep and complicated history with his ex-partner.