I’m a 29M doctor in the UK, currently dating a 32F nurse. She has a 6-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. From what I know, her past relationship was abusive, and she left while pregnant and rebuilt her life on her own with support from friends. The child’s father is still somewhat involved (weekends/shared custody), but she’s the primary parent. When we started dating, she made it clear she and her child are a package deal. I took time to think about it and chose to accept that. Since then, things have honestly been really good. I care about her a lot, and I actually enjoy spending time with her daughter. Now we’ve started talking about marriage, possibly next year. Here’s where I’m struggling a bit, and I want honest input from other men: Did you ever have doubts early on when dating a woman with a child? How did you handle thoughts about raising another man’s kid? Did concerns about family/social perception matter in the long run? How did you know you weren’t being rushed or “chosen for stability”? To be clear, she treats me well and hasn’t given me any concrete reason to distrust her. These doubts are more internal than based on her actions. I’m trying to figure out if this is just normal adjustment thinking, or something I should take more seriously before committing long-term. Appreciate any real-life experiences or honest advice. submitted by /u/Maximum-Article9430
Originally posted by u/Maximum-Article9430 on r/AskMen