Today (September 9th 2009) sees the launch of our own online dating articles directory and is will be dedicated to online dating articles only.  Please feel free to post your articles there.. all categories welcome. You can find the resource here:  Safer Online Dating Articles.  You can also suggest any new categories for the articles directory by email to our admin.

Copyright © 2009 SaferOnlineDatingServices.com

Dating Advice for Single Parents by Rick Freedom

For many single parents, dating simply does not seem like an option. There are few enough hours in the day without finding time for first dates, and what if your new lover and your kids cannot stand each other? It may seem easier just not to bother.

But if you want to find love, do not put it off until the kids are grown. We all deserve genuine happiness; if romance is what you want, follow the dating advice in this article and start your quest to find it.

Where to Look

There is no denying that some people will be put off by you having children. They are not right for you, so do not waste your time trying to change their mind. You deserve someone who adores you, kids and all.

Single parents can look for love in all the usual places but if you do not have the time to go to bars or join evening classes, find a date online. Alongside the standard dating sites, several internet services now specialize in matchmaking for people with kids.

Sign your children up for some extra-curricular activities. Single parent families are increasingly common these days, so get chatting to the other moms and dads before and after the classes and you could find yourself enjoying coffee with that special, single someone.

Getting to know other single parents will be invaluable when you do start dating. Babysitters can be expensive, but new friends in a similar position will be happy to take turns giving one another a well deserved evening off.

Broaching the Subject

Your kids are a part of your life, so never try to hide them. The first time you talk to somebody new, casually drop your children into the conversation by mentioning something funny which your child said or did. You will be pleasantly surprised by how many people take this in their stride.

When it comes to dating, some parents choose to keep everything a secret from their children until the relationship is serious. Increasingly, however, parents are opting to be open with their kids. Do not introduce your children to everyone you meet, but do consider telling them you are going on dates – the more they are aware that you’re meeting new people, the less threatened they will feel when you bring your partner home.

New Starts

Introduce your kids to your new partner slowly. Start with a relaxed trip to the park or an evening of watching movies together, but think carefully before asking your partner to stay the night. It may be unsettling for your kids to wake up and find a virtual stranger in their house so wait until they’re more used to him or her.

Talk to your partner about your expectations. In the early days, the emphasis should be on becoming friendly with your kids, not on becoming their new parent. If you do not think it is appropriate for him or her to discipline them, say so.

Warn them to expect jealousy. Your kids are used to having you to themselves and may feel that it would be disloyal to their other parent to be too welcoming. Expect small children to become clingy and teenagers to be quite rude. With time and patience, it will improve.

Your kids are the center of your world, but you should never feel guilty about wanting a little more. Take all the dating advice you can get, keep the early days casual, but do get out and get dating again. Everyone needs affection, attention and adult conversation, so if you would like a little romance, do not let being a parent stop you.

Rick Freedom is an aspiring author and entrepreneur whose interests include communication, human relationships, love, dating and philosophy. For more dating advice, visit http://www.i1datingadvice.com

Article Source: ArticleRich.com

10 Ways To Achieve Online Dating Success!

With each month that passes, online dating becomes more and more popular and now we see millions of members throughout the world seeking that special friendship/relationship. However there still remains a growing number of users who have become disillusioned with poor results, higher monthly fees and attention from unsuitable fellow members..

Theoretically, online dating is the perfect way to meet your ‘ideal match’, yet only a small percentage of members are actually successful in finding what they seek online. So here are a few simple guidelines, which if implemented, are likely to greatly increase your chances of success in your online dating endeavours.

1. First of all it is important that you choose the online dating site which best suits your particular interests. Nowadays there are many more niche areas in the online dating arena, (for instance, single parent dating or sports dating) and you should employ the search engines to find dating websites where you are most likely to find your ideal date.

2. Once you have identified websites in your chosen niche, make a point of visiting a few of them and look for the contact link. Send an email to admin of each website. Ask how many full paying members are in their database. A simple question but a well administered online dating website will typically reply within a few hours. Admin is all important, and should be round the clock on a quality dating site.

3. Never register with a free dating website if you are truly serious about finding a mate. ‘Free For All’ online dating sites are often littered with incomplete profiles, and not taken too seriously by their membership. A free trial period is good, but before deciding on which website to join, take a good look at the member facilities. Does it have a chat room, video chat, a forum, instant messenger etc. Be wary of dating sites that do not allow you to search members before you sign up.

4. On the subject of security and safeness, many online dating sites are being infiltrated by scammers often from Africa, Ghana, Nigeria or Singapore. The IP addresses from these countries can easily be blocked by dating sites to save genuine members from being hassled or scammed. A quality dating site will use these blocking techniques to deter would be scammers, and it’s definately worth checking out.

5. Upon registering with any online dating website, you will need to create a profile. Make yourself come across as interesting as possible while at the same time being truthful, and try to be accurate when it comes to describing the type of partner you seek. Including a photograph will almost certainly increase your chances of being noticed.

6. When emailing other members, always remain polite and courteous, especially in early emails. Remember, first impressions are of the highest importance, and you should always reply to every email you receive from fellow members, even if it’s only to politely let them know you are not interested.

7. Never give out your personal details to anyone and especially your bank account or social security information. Do not be taken in by requests for cash from people you have recently met online, regardless of how convincing their story is or how sexy or appealing their photos appear. Be aware that the photos they display are almost certainly not of themselves but probably stolen from the Internet. The minute you are asked for cash by any member, you must cease all interaction with that member and report them to administration.

8. Once you make contact with a member who interests you, take time to get to know them well. You now have a good opportunity to details about one other, and trade photographs. However, in those early communications, don’t believe everything you are told. Trust takes time to grow.

9. Photographs may sometimes display the date on which they were taken, but be aware that some members use old photographs in an attempt to make themselves appear more youthful than they actually are. If your dating site has a video chat facility, get to see each other in real time which determines your prospective mate’s current appearance.

10. If you do decide to meet another member, always suggest a venue which is very public and well lit, and keep the first meeting relatively short. Chemistry is something that cannot be measured online.

It would not be fun to spend a weekend with someone with someone with whom you shared no chemsitry.

So these are not rules but important guidelines which will serve to make your online dating experience a pleasant one. Remember that everyone is different and you will need to explore together in order to discover the higher ground..

Copyright © 2009 SaferOnlineDatingServices.com

With the ever increasing number of online dating services, and the decreasing cost of webmaster php scripting it’s not really surprising that we see more and more free niche dating sites, most of whom seem to rely on Google Adwords or Yahoo Search Marketing for their income. But is offering a free membership to online dating sites the way forward?

The significant difference between online dating sites and other membership sites is that when joining an online dating website, you are required to create an attractive profile, to present yourself to other members in the most attractive way. Without a completed profile you will not attract the attention of other genuine members who are actively seeking a partner.

Many members consider the creation of a profile as boring and time consuming and especially so in the case of totally free membership sites. A large percentage of free members will neither complete their profile or upload a photo, and in fact many will never even return to the website.

Researchers are in agreement that those who join a website community solely because it is free, will rarely return to the site or sustain an interest longer than a few days. And it’s not because they forget because the website admin staff will almost certainly send out reminders daily. Online dating sites would not exist if it was not for the members in their databases and it is important that every member who registers, take an active part in the community and the services it offers. Otherwise it is a waste of everyone’s time, including the website administrator and other genuine members.

Whereas, in the case of those online dating sites that charge a monthly fee to become part of their community, will have very few users who register and don’t bother to complete a profile. Once a member has been tempted to take out his or her credit card, they are more inclined to take their membership seriously, build a quality profile and visit the site regularly to monitor interest from other members.

Fee charging online dating sites will find it much tougher to get new members, but what is the point in having a thousand members in your database if 80% of the accounts are dormant and never respond to your emails? Much better for all concerned to have five hundred serious members who pay regular visits to the website and take advantage of all the facilities.

But what of fee charging online dating sites that offer a free period trial membership as an incentive to become a paying member? Well that word “free” will always cause complacency, yet to a lesser degree. Whilst a free trial will tempt some to join as a paying member, there are still those free users, who do not return to the site after subscribing.

The highest percentage of long term signups per 1000 new visitors is enjoyed by those online dating sites offering a free basic membership with limited facilities, and required to upgrade to paying membership to increase the features available. The lowest percentage of long term signups per 1000 new visitors is demonstrated in the success rates of the ‘absolutely free for all’ membership websites, online dating sites or otherwise.

Copyright © 2009 SaferOnlineDatingServices.com