As a single mom, Kim Sutch worries about bringing a date home to meet her kids.
"My concerns would be what would I tell the children?" she says. "How would the children feel about it? Cause they've never actually seen me dating anybody. And I feel that they would be very, very jealous."
Her kids, six-year-old Aiden and 11-year-old Mackenzie, both admit it would be "weird" to see their mom date.
"She might want to do stuff with him," explains Mackenzie, "and we might have a baby-sitter, so we probably wouldn't see a lot of her."
Many single parents wonder if it's even okay to date.
Experts say of course it is! But there are a few ground rules.
"First and foremost, children should come first," explains Dr. Carol Drummond, a clinical psychologist in Atlanta. "Dating shouldn't interfere with school activities and sports and things like that."
She says parents should introduce dates to their kids as friends&and nothing more.
And it helps to keep the meetings casual.
"Go to the park, go to the zoo, go to the aquarium," says Drummond. "Have an activity that everyone can engage in without having to have so much one-on-one conversation."
She says parents should not pressure kids to spend time with their date.
And, avoid having the person sleep over.
"Children should be insulated from their parent's sexual activities while they are dating," explains Drummond, "at least until it becomes a very significant relationship."
As for Kim, her kids have reluctantly agreed to let their mom date.
"I don't really mind if she has a boyfriend as long as he's nice to me and my brother and my mom's happy with him," explains Mackenzie. "So if she wants to, she can."
Tips for Parents
Listen to what your kids have to say about your date. However, realize their opinions may not be completely objective. (Carol Drummond, Ph.D., Psychologist)
Insist that your children be polite to your date - but do not pressure them to like the person. (Parenting.org)
Don't use your children as confidantes with your relationship problems. (Carol Drummond, Ph.D., Psychologist)
Do not introduce your children to your date until it becomes a significant relationship. (Carol Drummond, Ph.D.)
Physical displays of affection make children of all ages uncomfortable. (Carol Drummond, Ph.D.)
Dates should not try to discipline the children too early. Also, dates should never criticize parenting in front of the children. (Carol Drummond, Ph.D.)
Single parents may have to set rules for their date - regarding language, behavior, substance abuse, etc. (Carol Drummond, Ph.D.)
Do not sacrifice alone time with your kids. Never miss a school-sponsored activity. (Parenting.org) 
