When couples with children break up, there’s always a period of time when one or both parties have a hard time accepting the fact that they are officially single parents.  As with any break up, denial is often followed by empowering spontaneity. Finally, single parents find a confident balance, which allows them to truly accept themselves for who they are: single parents.

One question that seems to find its way into all three of those stages is, “Who will want to date a single parent?”

In the beginning, it’s hard to escape this negative inner dialogue. The word “single” by itself has a flirtatious and youthful connotation, but when “mom” or “dad” follows it, the word is suddenly perceived in a completely different way.

In the two years of dating experience I’ve had as a single parent, the term “single mom” has not scared away any dating prospects that I’m aware of. I’m not sure if this is because I’ve been lucky enough to mostly date genuine guys who respect the important role I have as a mother, or if it’s just that men are intrigued by single moms because of certain movies that popularize terms like “MILF.”

What I do know, however, is that for whatever reason, single dads have it worse when it comes to dating. As one of my friends told me the other day, there is a shift in interest the moment he mentions his son to a seemingly attracted woman. It seems women are more cautious when it comes to dating single dads, while men seem to approach single moms with the same enthusiasm as any other woman.

To all the cautious women: I happen to know several single dads who are amazing catches (some right here on the SRJC campus), and guess what? Some of their best qualities -the same qualities you probably whine to your friends about your last boyfriend not having- these guys have them because they are single dads. In my attempt to be a good wing-woman for my friend and all single dads out there, without further ado, here are the six reasons why you should date a single dad…

1. He can cook. Unlike your typical bachelor, whose refrigerator contains one jar of peanut butter, three half-drunk bottles of yellow Gatorade, two expired cheese sticks, two-week-old left over pizza, and 37 bottles of beer, a single dad has a colorful assortment of food in his refrigerator.

2. He can clean. Not only does he have clean utensils, pots and pans, but he also does chores around the house and does them regularly. This is because for 18 months of his child’s life, she ate everything she could reach. Babies have a unique talent for finding the one black licorice jelly bean that even your dog wouldn’t eat, left over from last Easter.

3. He won’t lead you on. Ask any parent about the first time they made a promise to their 3-year-old that they couldn’t keep. Being a parent will turn almost anyone into a direct person. Children. Never. Forget. And not only do they never forget, but they also don’t need to pretend like they forgot to save face. They will remind you every day, sometimes every hour, sometimes three times an hour about the promise you made and didn’t keep a month ago. Consider it a form of behavioral therapy.

4. He knows how to put down the remote. A single dad is used to making compromises in his everyday life, even when it comes to the remote control. Chances are he can probably name more characters from shows on the Disney Junior channel than he can players in the NFL. He is used to recording his favorite TV show and waiting until his child is asleep to watch it. His mind and his heart are trained to make little sacrifices like this for his child, without thinking much about it. If you mean something to him, he’ll do the same for you.

5. His mama has moved on. For anyone who has ever been in the awkward position of competing with a man’s mother for his attention, you’ll be glad to hear the mother has moved on. The grandchild is a newer, cuter, better dressed version of her son, and the more dates he takes you out on, the more she gets to babysit. Win-win-win.

6. He knows how to plan things. One of the biggest complaints I hear from other women is that guys don’t take the time to plan things. Planning equals survival for the single parent, because when your child is with you, you have to find the most efficient way to play the roles and take on the chores of both parents. A late lunch or a missed nap has the potential to create a domino effect of irrational tantrums that can ruin the rest of your day.  Trust me: the single dad plans his ass off.

The next time you’re chatting up a cute guy and he pulls out his phone, revealing a picture of his child, rather than looking away awkwardly, as if you accidentally saw something you weren’t supposed to, embrace the fact he has a child he cares about. After all, it is most likely that child you have to thank for making him the person he is today. If you want a mature, open, communicative, direct and thoughtful man who is capable of cooking and cleaning, you should probably consider dating a single dad.