I was dating myself for a few years. I had been married from 2002-2005, had one long term relationship from June 2006 until November 2009. I took for me them I dated someone from April 2012 to March 2015. Then I was tired of dating others I took myself to dinner, movies, concerts, hiking, etc. I had never dated anyone with young children. I was working and doing stuff I liked to fill the time I guess. I missed being in a relationship but I never met anyone in that I connected with until I met my guy.

The marriage didn’t work out because we were so young (I was 22 when we got married) but primarily he he was emotionally and financially abusive and no amount of counseling worked to save it. He got numerous loans in my name and ran us into major debt.

The first long term relationship didn’t last because he was just out of college and he travelled a lot for work. He was almost never in town and the relationship faltered and ended.

The Second long term relationship ended because he didn’t want to have a family of any sort. His only child was an adult and that was enough for him. He wasn’t even interested in having a dog.

I am closer to the younger kids than the older daughter. It’s not that we disagreed but more that we never sat down and had an adult conversation about how he & the kids make me happy and I make them happy.