It's rare that you find a single young adult with no children. How does this affect the relationship? You can't love someone and not everything that comes with them including their children, right? It's a "package" deal. At least that's how it should be. I'm sure single young adults with children would like a "significant other" too, but at what costs? How do you maintain a substantial relationship with both your child's other parent and your new love? What if you marry, and become a blended family; will everyone agree with how to raise the child or children? You often here about BABY MAMA DRAMA, but it's not always just "the mamas", daddies are included in drama too.
I ask these questions after observing some very good friends of mine, both male and female, who have children, yet they are single. One of my female friend's "baby's daddy" don't want her involved with anyone else, yet he does not treat her right. She tries to move on, however he's always around when someone new comes; she tries to do the right thing for her children's sake. I have a male friend who has custody of their child, but jumps every time the child's mother calls him. How is the new woman in his life suppose to respond to that? I hugged a male friend of mine, in the presence of other people, and another woman yelled (IN FRONT OF HIM!) "you better be careful hugging that one; he's very fertile!" Although I know how many children he has, I was still very embarrassed for him and me! Though he laughed it off, he still seemed a little hurt by it. With considering Erikson's stage of intimacy vs. isolation, again I ask, how do you effectively maintain these types of relationships and/or marriage?