After the dust settles, you and your ex will one day find yourselves ready to start dating after divorce. And when that happens, there will come a point when you're ready to introduce your new partner to your kids.
Download our Dating after Divorce worksheet
Every family is different, but in a co-parenting relationship, it's typically a good idea to introduce your new partner to your ex before you introduce them to the kids. Doing this in a thoughtful and empathetic way – especially with an ex who might be surprised or hurt when they learn you're moving forward – can save a lot of heartache. Whether you're introducing a new partner, meeting a new partner, or are the new partner, our worksheet will help you prepare for this meeting.
The thoughtful steps outlined in our worksheet can help ease the burden on your new relationship as well as your kids.
Consider: What if your ex met someone new first?
Think of it this way: If your ex met someone new and things got serious, wouldn't you want to be high on the list of people to know? You'd certainly want to meet this person before your kids met them. And you'd probably want to talk through an approach to breaking the news in a way that reiterates to the kids that their family isn't changing – it's growing.
Empathy and understanding
Our worksheet will help you approach any dating scenario – whether you're the new partner, the ex meeting a new partner, or the new significant other – with empathy, understanding, and humility toward the situation and the people involved. Because guess who's watching your reactions? Who's watching your behavior to see how they should act when they meet the new partner?
(Spoiler alert: It's your kids.)
We know this is new territory. We want to help. Download our free Dating After Divorce worksheet to help make the transition as easy as possible.
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