Dating and the Divorcee

 Posted on August 30, 2013 in Family Law

Whether you were married for a year or 20 years, you have been out of the dating game for a while. The divorce is final and you just want to get back to being yourself again and enjoying life. According to the Huffington Post, reentering the dating game requires some tact and rules.

Dating vs. Therapy

You have to remember that a date is not a therapy session. The point is to have some fun while getting to know someone new. Don’t take your ex on the date with you. In other words, you don’t want to spend the whole time talking about why your marriage failed and detailing all the things that your ex did to hurt you.

 Keep the Kids in their Place

You are just dating, not shopping for a replacement spouse. No matter how excited you are about being single and dating again, these are not things that you should be discussing with your kids. The kids may seem like they are taking the divorce extremely well but remember, the family unit that they once knew is no more. Consider their feelings and let the kids stay in a kid's place.

 Get to Know Yourself First

Dating is not a competition. Just because your ex has a new beau, does not mean you have to run out to find someone new. It takes longer for some people to jump back into the game. Many people report that they lost their identities once they were not that person's spouse anymore. Get to know yourself and take the time to let go of your previous relationship baggage. Rushing into the dating scene is not fair to you or your next date. When your date asks you to tell them about yourself, what will you say?

A part of getting over the past is closing the book completely. An experienced Illinois divorce attorney can ensure that your divorce is handled fairly and that your interests are well represented.