Planning a first date – or even a second or third – is exciting but tough work. You want to be sure that everything goes to plan, from the restaurant you choose to the time and date you book it for. But when he or she finally says ‘yes’ to a date, when should you suggest to meet up? You’d be surprised at what a difference a day makes in the dating world!

Steer Clear of: Monday and Tuesday

Sure, you’re far more likely to be free on a Monday or Tuesday night than any other night of the week, but there’s a reason for that. Responsibility-laden and a long way from Friday, they’re not the best option for a fun first date with someone special. Besides, suggest a date for a Monday night and they might think you’re not interested enough to prioritise them later in the week.

Midweek Mingling: Wednesday and Thursday

By Wednesday you’re halfway through the week, which makes a few midweek drinks and a late night far more acceptable. If you’re going on a first date, Wednesday or Thursday is the perfect choice: you’ve got something to look forward to during the week, but you can keep your weekend free to relax and catch up with friends.

Frisky Friday: Proceed With Caution!

Let’s face it, most of us live for the weekend. So after a full-on week of work, you want to let your hair down on a Friday night. This can be a dangerous setting for a first date in particular – if you’re hoping for a romantic night of getting to know one another, it could quickly descend into a drunken bar crawl. Or worse, you could be stuck on a disastrous first date and wishing you were somewhere else on one of the best nights of the week!

Daytime Dates: Saturday and Sunday

If you’re looking to escape the ‘table for two’ set-up, plan your date for the weekend. Saturdays and Sundays offer a world of opportunity if you’re looking for more unique date ideas, and on a weekend both you and your date will be more chilled out. Why not go for a walk and take a picnic, or surprise your date by booking a fun activity that you talked about on your online dating account? Particularly on the second or third date, weekends are the perfect time to get to know one another better.

Of course, if you or your partner has a busy schedule, sometimes you can’t be overly picky about when you arrange your date. But if you’re struggling to decide when the best time to meet might be, this should help you pick the right day to have a first, second or third date. Stay away from Mondays and Tuesdays but beware of Fridays, and you’ll have a night (or day!) to remember with that special someone.

Single parents face countless challenges on a day-to-day basis, and although there are few pleasures greater than raising a child, often family commitments can get in the way of romantic ones. But having a love life isn’t impossible if you’re a single parent. And when the kids have gone to bed and you finally get some time to yourself, online dating is the perfect way to refocus your relationships and find someone who is worthy of an introduction to the children.

Online Dating for Parent

Time is a precious commodity when you have children, so the prospect of wasting an evening on a blind date that may or may not go well is neither appealing nor feasible for most single parents. After all, you don’t want to use up your babysitting options on an evening of awkward conversation with a stranger. However when you sign up to online dating, you can start talking to local singles who match your interests and situation – such as fellow parents who are looking for love.

If money is tight or you’re looking to ease yourself into the dating scene, free online dating is a great way to start flirting without any membership fees. You can log on as often or as little as you like – or shall we say when you finally get a moment to yourself. And because you can select the people you speak to by age, location, status and whether they have kids, you can eliminate the time wasters and shape your internet dating journey, to ensure you have a positive experience.

Single Parents and Relationships

If you’ve been on dates before as a single parent, you’ll be familiar with the classic dilemma of slipping the children into the conversation. Do you lay your cards out on the table immediately, or wait until you’ve made a connection? How will he or she react when they find out that you’ve got ‘luggage’? The beauty of online dating is that you can make your situation clear from the start, eliminating the problem altogether. So when a potential suitor gets in touch, you’ll know that they are child-friendly and interested in the real you.

Online dating conversations allow you to determine whether he or she is worth scheduling a babysitter for. If you’ve both got children, you may want to wait until the second or third meeting to arrange a play date with the kids. After all, you don’t want to confuse the children with a new men or woman every week. Reserve an introduction until you’re sure that you’ve found ‘the one’.

Prioritise your love life without compromising on your commitment to the kids by joining FreeAndSingle or FreeAndSingleParents today. Meet single parents who are looking for someone just like you, in a relaxed, fun and most of all free environment that makes juggling your relationships simple and easy. And who knows, you could just find someone who slots perfectly into your little family unit.

Dating has always had its do’s and don’ts. Everyone has their own opinion on matters such as how long you should wait before contacting your companion after a first date, and when to move on to the next ‘stage’ of the relationship. With the rise of internet dating, a whole new rule book has developed for online dating etiquette. And whilst it’s important not to be restricted too much by what other people think, some of the below tips will help you navigate the waters the online dating scene successfully.

Keep it Clean

Unless you’ve specifically signed up to an online dating site for no strings attached fun, don’t use your online dating account as a free pass to become a player with local singles. It’s fine to suggest that you find the opposite sex attractive, but crude comments will put most people off, and some could be offended.

A Personal Approach

Don’t copy and paste the same message to everyone that tickles your fancy. Trust us, it will be obvious. Even if your opening message is a brief hello, make it personal to the individual. What shared interests do you have, and what do you like about their profile? You’ll notice how many more responses you get when you take the time to be genuine.

Show an Interest

If they do reply to your opening message, remember to keep the conversation a two-way stream. Whilst it’s good to introduce yourself and share your stories, make sure you ask plenty of questions and show an interest in the other person too.

Replying to Messages

Inevitably, we get broken off from our internet dating activity from time to time. But don’t leave him or her hanging for days before you reply to their message. Besides, if you do, someone else might steal their attention and beat you to the first date! On the other hand, don’t bombard them with messages or you’ll appear a little too keen for comfort…

Give and Take

Bagged yourself a date? Congrats! But if you want to make sure that your first date actually happens, be willing to compromise on where and when you’re going to meet, and what you’re going to do. Friday nights might work best for you, but won’t be convenient for everyone. Let him or her have a say in how they want the first date to pan out, and you’ll show that you’re a team player from the start.

Treat others with the same respect that you’d like to receive yourself online and you’re sure to have a positive experience with free online dating. Take the time to get to know individuals who catch your attention, and you’ll soon find someone who appreciates the real you and wants to go out on a date.