How long should you wait before introducing your kids to a boyfriend/girlfriend?

I think that a parent should wait until they know that it is serious with the boyfriend or girlfriend before introducing the child. My son's father went through periods of dating a new girl every few months and he got mad at me because I told him that I did not want him meeting the women unless they had been dating for more than a few months and it was serious because my son did not need to keep meeting different girlfriends.

While I was single I didn't introduce my children to any boyfriend for a while, I wanted to know that I would actually like them and want them around my boys first. I dated a lot of men that didn't ever meet them because I never thought it would last. I have seen parents introduce their children to "boyfriends" or "girlfriends" right away, which I think is not very smart because children need stability and this doesn't give them that. They only thing the children learn is it's ok to bounce people in and out of your lives, and relationships are not worth working at. I believe that younger children are hurt more by someone not being there than older children. I dated someone for 2 years while my children were little and when he ended the relationship my children seemed more hurt than I was. I think what it comes down to is that if you don't want to set a good example for your children it really doesn't matter when they meet a potential mate, if you do want to set a good example than you should wait until you believe that the person will be around for a good length of time.

I don't really think that it is a matter of the AMOUNT OF TIME one should wait, I think it's a matter of how serious the relationship is, and how likely it is to STAY THAT WAY!!!! If there are problems, and it will not last, don't make introductions. If the people love eachother and plan to build a solid relationship, introduce the kids ASAP!

Let's seeee.. My parents split up when I was I think 9. My mom was seeing someone like a year later. I met him when I was about 12, I think. So I guess it depends on how old the child is. I don't think my mom waited long enough to introduce him to me because I was still upset over my parents splitting up. I think if a child is that young it's okay, because like you said they may not remember when they get older. But if they're older kids I suggest a long time, just mention it to them so they know where you're going.

i would wait until i know the person inside and out before introducing that person to my kids. i would do a background check on that person. i wouldn't want to expose my child to someone who is child molester, and has a troubled past. these days u can't be too careful.

I actually think that younger children can be hurt easier than older ones because they don't really understand about dating and can become attached to someone nice pretty quickly. Any parent of a young child who is dating should, in my opinion, wait several months until both parties have figured out if the relationship is going to be a long term one before introducing that child to the person they are dating.