Some Dating Tips for a Special Needs Child’s Parent

If you’re a special needs or autistic child’s parent, then you might sometimes face challenges that other parents do not. Parenting is seldom easy, but if your child is autistic or has special needs, you may have a whole new set of concerns. You obviously want what’s best for the child, so you must learn all you can about their condition.

If you’ve got a spouse or partner with whom you can co-parent, that takes some of the pressure off you. It’s nice to have that, regardless of whether you have a child with autism or special needs. You can talk to the other parent about your concerns, your daily pressures, and you can also pass the child off if you feel stressed and like you need a moment for yourself.

If you’re single and you have a child with autism or special needs, that can also be uniquely difficult. You might like to start dating because you want someone in your life, but you must also balance your desires with your child’s needs.

Let’s talk about some dating strategies you might implement if you want to find that special someone.

Be Up-Front About Your Child’s Condition

If you are the parent of a special needs child or one with autism, you always have plenty on your mind. You might have one eye on the stimulus plan that Congress just passed that will continue granting jobless workers $300 per week, but you also have to watch your child to see if they’re okay. You might feel that way even if you’re out on a date.

If you match with someone on a dating app or a friend sets you up on a blind date, then you might look forward to getting out of the house. Perhaps you got a family friend to watch your child, or maybe you have a babysitter who you trust.

You should probably not wait very long to tell your date about your special needs child or child with autism. They are doubtless a huge part of your life, and your date should know and understand that from the very beginning.

You Can Observe Their Reaction

If you want to have a future with your date instead of a brief fling, you can watch how they react when you tell them about your child. You can explain your child’s condition, what you have to do for them, whether they attend any special classes or anything along those lines. That doesn’t have to be all you talk about on your first date, but you also probably shouldn’t let the entire night pass without at least bringing it up.

If you want to find a person with whom you can share your life, but a lot of your life revolves around your special needs child, anyone you date should have a right to know that. It is not really the sort of thing you could conceal for long anyway, so the sooner you get it out in the open to see how they react, the better it will be for both of you.

You Can Introduce Them

If the person whom you’re dating says they have no problems with your being a parent to a special needs child or child with autism, then at some point, you can introduce them. You can talk to the individual you’re dating about what to expect first.

If your child has no issues meeting new people, then you might set up a situation where you feel they will be comfortable. You can invite your new romantic interest over for lunch or dinner. You might just have them spend an hour with your child, so they can start getting used to each other.

You Can See How Things Progress from There

No human being is one single thing. Each person has many different parts of themselves that make up the entire whole. However, the parent of just about every special needs child or child with autism will tell you that’s a huge part of who they are. It has to be because otherwise, you might feel like you’re neglecting your offspring.

You should be able to date and find love if you have a child with autism or a special needs child. You just need to make sure that you find a person who is okay with the situation and understands that you’ll always have to dedicate a part of yourself to the child who needs you.

Ed Lives