DEAR ABBY: I'm a 27-year-old single mom, career-focused and driven in what I do for my son and me. I want the best for him. He is 3.
I am having a hard time meeting someone who will accept the two of us. Men come up to me all the time at work or when I'm out, but once I mention that I have a small child, it's like they run and hide. If I wait and tell them later, they get upset that I didn't bring it up earlier. I have no idea what to do.
I am ready to settle down and be a "family" with someone. How do I fix this? What should I do? -- LONELY IN SUGAR LAND, TEXAS
DEAR LONELY: You're doing nothing wrong, and nothing needs "fixing." A man who approaches you and then runs in the opposite direction when he learns you have a child, isn't interested in the kind of relationship you're looking for. He's looking for fun, not continuity.
So be honest about your situation from the beginning. While the idea of settling down is nice, you need to do it with someone whose priorities align with your own, and the men you have met so far don't qualify.