It’s important for your children to see you in a healthy, committed relationship. They are watching how you interact in romantic relationships and will likely (unknowingly) copy your behavior. For that reason, you should only date other people who will treat you with kindness, care and respect. (ChristianMingle.com is a great place to look for a partner that meets these characteristics.) That way, if you do have to deal with a breakup in front of your children, it will hopefully go as smoothly as a breakup can possible go.

If you’re considering dating someone with children, be aware of what that will mean for their kids if you were to break up. Are you the kind of person who would take their kids to play basketball in the park? Or could you see yourself inviting the children to your place for a movie night every Friday night? If the kids get used to this kind of behavior and then it suddenly disappears when the relationship dissolves, it will be jarring for them. Ask yourself how far you’re willing to go to date a parent and use your answer to guide whether or not you should actually date that person.