I am dealing with some feelings that I feel kinda guilty about, and I really want to hear how other single moms respond to this. I am thankful this is anonomous, because I don't think I could otherwise share these feelings because of shame. Here's the deal- I am a single mom of a two year old boy. He is great, and the love of my life, and all the stuff mothers feel about their children. Now I have found a man that is worthy of my love, I feel, and we have started a relationship. He is very good with my son, and it feels *so* good to me to be a "family" at times. The problem I am having is that my son is very active, and the typical two-year-old. He is into everything, and is very dominating of my attention. When we are all together, I feel inside like I am saying "please behave! don't embarass me!" We went out to eat this morning, and my son would not sit in his highchair, would not eat, wanted to play with the knives, salt, pepper....and I felt so out of control and resentful. I hated that it was all on me to discipline, and that the man sitting across from me at the table was not my son's dad, and therefore, did not know how to act, really. I felt like my parenting was under the spotlight, and I needed to prove to my boyfriend that I was a good mom. I hated the way that I felt, most of all because it made me feel like my son was making this so hard for me. I don't know what to do. I guess just not go out to eat anymore with him until he is a little older. This is just so hard to date as a single mom. I found someone I really like, and it is so hard doing this as a mom. I don't know if maybe I shouldn't be with someone while my son is so young. It would be easier, I feel, if my son was not so "spirited." But he is, and I know he is not the one to blame for my feelings. Maybe the only people I should consider having a relationship with need to just have kids of their own, so they understand. What do you all think?