Newsletter * Your Email Address: * Preferred Format: Text HTML * Name:

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION FOR DATING:

GIVE A SINGLE DAD A CHANCE!

JO ABI’S BOOK TELLS YOU HOW AND WHY DO DATE A DAD

If 2006 was a bit of a dud in the dating department and it feels like there are no decent men to be found, maybe 2007 should bring a new dating strategy: Why not give a single dad a chance in the dating game? There are over 140,000 to choose from in Australia alone. Author of How to Date a Dad — a Dating Guide, Jo Abi is the first to admit, dating a dad is not the most obvious choice, but it could be the best choice in the long term.

According to Abi, a Sydney-based radio host, TV presenter and writer, dating a father could be the best decision a girl ever makes — after a few issues have been overcome!

How to Date a Dad — a Dating Guide is aninsider’s view of the modern dating game -addressing the dilemmas, dramas, insecurities and moving moments on the emotional rollercoaster of dating a man who has already been down the path to fatherhood.  

Jo Abi: “I wish I’d had a wise friend to talk to during my time dating a dad.  It would have been much simpler to have been able to talk to someone who had been through what I was going through and who could give me perspective and offer me constructive advice.  This book is the wise friend I never had! It’s designed to help the reader navigate her way through the minefield of dating a dad!”

“It can be a rocky road, but if dealt with correctly, the experience of dating a dad can be so much more rewarding and fulfilling than anything you’ve ever experienced in previous relationships”.

Not just from the point of view of the woman, How to Date a Dad has opinions from both sides, with contributions by Cleo Bachelor of the Year and Ten Sports Tonight presenter, Ryan Phelan, and The Big Arvo’s Ben Hewett.

Author and TV presenter, Ben Hewett sums up the benefits of dating a father: “Most women try to avoid dating self-centred men who could never love them more than they love themselves and in my experience they’ve generally thought it’s great there’s room in my life for a person I care about more than me!”

“The most positive effect being a dad has had on my relationships is that my partner can see what I’m like with my own child. I think you can tell a lot about a partner by the way they handle their kids over a long period of time. Anyone can look after a kid for a few hours, but there’s no way for a potential spouse to know what kind of dad you’re going to be unless they’ve seen you in action!”

The benefits of dating a dad:

- He knows how to be open with his feelings.

- He knows how to have fun.

- He has learned patience, understanding, caring.

- There is no pressure towards a serious relationship.

So why is it that single Australian women, who are so busy complaining about the lack of unattached men in Australia, refuse to acknowledge this whole group of highly desirable, eligible, sensible, stable men, who would love an adult relationship?

What to beware of when dating a dad:

- His time is limited.

- His attention (to you) is limited.

- His funds are limited.

- He may be wary of commitment.

Ryan Phelan contributed to the book and wrote the foreword about his experiences as a single dad: “Relationships can be hard enough, but when one becomes two...or even more, it often takes a pretty special and understanding person to not just love and accept you, but your situation and the people you love most in your life: your children.

“Every single Dad, needs love, wants love, and craves to feel like a family again one day, with someone he truly cares about and hopes to spend the rest of his life with. In 2005, I was voted Cleo Bachelor of the Year. I can assure you, if this book had been written sometime ago, I wouldn't have been a bachelor for so long!

FACTS

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005, there are currently around 140 000 available, SINGLE, loving, nurturing, emotionally-developed, house-trained, self-sufficient men living as one-parent families in Australia. This number is projected to rise to between 188 000 and 223 000 by 2026.

In Australia, 39 per cent of bridegrooms have children under sixteen from a previous marriage.  Divorced men with children are out there and they’re not only dating but they’re marrying.

For more information and to talk to Jo Abi direct about her experiences dating a dad – go to www.howtodateadad.com.au.

How to Date a Dad — a Dating Guide is available through leading bookstores, RRP$24.95 and online at www.dymocks.com.au