"I Just Shut The Door In Her Face": Man Ends Relationship After Learning Girlfriend Secretly Has Children

We all know that the dating scene is absolutely brutal nowadays. It’s extremely hard to meet anyone in person, but if your online profile isn’t perfectly curated, you might not get any right swipes. And the more you reveal about yourself, the more opportunities potential partners have to decide that they’ve spotted a red flag.

That’s why people tend not to put all their cards on the table on the first date. But there’s a big difference between keeping some things private and lying by omission. This man was shocked when he found out that his girlfriend of two months was a mother. Below, you’ll find the full story that he shared on Reddit, as well as some of the replies invested readers left. 

Dating as a single parent comes with unique challenges

Mother carrying baby in a carrier outdoors while holding hands with another child, reflecting on dating challenges with kids.

Image credits: Josh Willink / Pexels (not the actual photo)

This man was shocked when he found out that his girlfriend of 2 months had concealed the fact that she had kids

Screenshot of a forum post where a man questions if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she hid having kids.

Man wonders if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend after discovering she has kids during their relationship.

Man wonders if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend after discovering she has kids unexpectedly.

Man outdoors with open arms, looking confused and wondering if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend with kids.

Image credits: scott neil / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Man wonders if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend after realizing she has kids he didn’t know about.

Man reflects on if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend after learning she has kids and didn’t tell him initially.

Text excerpt about a man ending a relationship after learning his girlfriend has kids, questioning his decision.

Man sitting in office chair, looking stressed and covering his face, reflecting on dumping girlfriend because she has kids.

Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Text excerpt describing a man’s conflict after dumping his girlfriend who is a single mother and the ensuing family drama.

Text about man second guessing dumping girlfriend because she has kids and wondering if he was wrong.

Image credits: Fearless-Finding-886

Child hiding between couch cushions and pillows, illustrating relationship challenges with a partner who has kids.

Image credits:  Pixabay / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Nearly a quarter of kids in the United States grow up in single-parent households

Anyone who has spent some of their adult life dating knows that you can never predict what you’ll encounter out there. Someone may seem perfectly normal on their Hinge profile, then give you the absolute creeps in person. 

Or the person who appears to be the man of your dreams after a few dates might suddenly reveal that he’s currently going through a divorce that’s draining every penny he has. And, of course, if you don’t want children, it might be difficult to avoid single parents in the dating pool.

According to the Pew Research Center, the United States has the world’s highest rate of kids living with single parents. In fact, nearly a quarter of children in the U.S. live in single-parent households. Because of this, many of these mothers and fathers find themselves looking for love and desperately hoping that their new partner won’t mind kids. 

Now, there are plenty of challenges that come along with dating as a single parent. The Modern Workweek notes that single moms and dads have to be extremely careful about who they bring around their kids to ensure that everyone is safe and comfortable. It can also be difficult to secure childcare or find the time to date while raising children.

And if you do find someone who appears to be a great match, they have to love your kids, or it will never work. At the end of the day, parents will always choose their little ones over any potential relationship.

But just like in any other relationship, single parents need to lead with honesty. Otherwise, it will be impossible to build trust. That’s why it’s important to share the fact that you’re a parent as soon as possible.

According to Dr. Marisa T. Cohen, PhD, LMFT, you might even want to tell your matches before you ever meet. “These people may choose to highlight their children in their profile photos or note what being a parent means to them in their bios,” Dr. Cohen told Vice.

Man and woman sitting on bed holding hands, discussing relationship concerns about having kids and honesty.

Image credits: August de Richelieu / Pexels (not the actual photo)

It’s important to always be honest with the people you’re dating

“This may be helpful as you are displaying what and who is important to you from the start, and also prevents you from connecting with a person who may not want children or may not want to date someone who already has children,” she explained.

That’s not always necessary, as you may want to go on a date or two to see if you’re even compatible before dropping the bombshell that you have kids. But Dr. Cohen warns that if you wait too long, your date may feel like you’re intentionally hiding something. 

“While you reserve the right to control how and when your information is shared, withholding significant information, such as having children, may make your date question the connection as they may feel that it was not built on openness and transparency,” the expert says.

It’s also important to remember that anyone is allowed to break up with their partner at any time, if that’s what they want. It can be upsetting, and it will probably result in some tears. But the author of this story had every right to end his relationship after finding out something that’s a dealbreaker for him. (Not to mention the fact that his partner was essentially lying.)

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this man made the right choice by pulling the plug on his relationship? Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article discussing similar issues, look no further than right here.

Many readers supported the author, noting that he had every right to break up with his ex

Screenshot of an online forum post questioning if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing relationship advice about dumping a girlfriend with kids.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

Comment discussing a man questioning if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids and lied.

Screenshot of Reddit comment discussing if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

Man questions if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she hid having kids, discussing honesty in relationships.

Screenshot of an online comment questioning if girlfriend planned on keeping her kids a secret in a relationship dilemma.

Man reflecting on whether he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend after learning she has kids in an online discussion.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing a man wondering if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

Screenshot of an online comment where a man shares discovering his ex had multiple kids after their breakup.

Reddit comment discussing dating challenges and relationship issues when a man dumps his girlfriend because she has kids.

Text about a man questioning if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids and parental responsibility.

Screenshot of a man’s comment questioning if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

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Man questions if he was wrong for dumping girlfriend after learning she has kids, wondering why she didn’t tell him.

Comment discussing if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids, advising not to date liars.

Screenshot of a comment debating if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend due to her having kids undisclosed.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment saying she was deceitful in a discussion about dumping a girlfriend with kids.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing opinions on dating single moms and concerns about kids in relationships.

Screenshot of online comment discussing a man wondering if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

Reddit user explanation about whether a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids and parenting responsibilities.

Text discussing a man questioning if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she hid that she has kids and responsibilities.

Text-based image showing relationship advice about breaking up due to trust issues and dating a single mother with kids.

Man questions if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend after learning she has kids, exploring relationship challenges.

Comment on a forum discussing if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

However, some thought that both parties could have handled the situation differently

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a man wondering if he was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids.

Screenshot of a forum comment discussing communication and relationship issues involving a man dumping his girlfriend with kids.

Reddit comment discussing if a man was wrong for dumping his girlfriend because she has kids, exploring relationship issues.

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