Daughter is my No1 and I don't want to upset her by dating

I’M a woman in my early-40s and I haven't had a man in my life since my marriage ended seven years ago.

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I have a 10-year-old daughter and it's just been the two of us for so long, but I do feel lonely and have been thinking a lot about dating again.

My ex isn't really on the scene — he does see our daughter, but when it fits around his new family. It means I'm the most important person in her life and every time I think about meeting someone, I feel instantly guilty.

She's got me through some tough times and we rely on each other for everything. I worry that having a partner will come between us.

The situation feels more urgent after I went to a party a few weeks ago and bumped into a guy I've known since we were both in our early 20s.