[Z]

Hmm tough question. I think you would have to be very understanding, kind and willing to accommodate the other person's child in order for your relationship to truly work - you'd have to take on some kind of parental role eventually or it just won't work, but you'd have to know what your boundaries are right from the word go or the child wouldn't ever give you that kind of respect I don't think... so you would have to have very mature and serious conversations about it before you ever met the child, so early on in the relationship, or I don't think it would work out in the long term.

I think I could do it, though. My own dad met my mum when she was a single mother and had a 9 year old son and they managed to get on with it just fine; so at least I would be able to ask for advice if I found myself potentially dating someone who had a child... from both my mum and from my dad, about what to do/say, not to do/say...