"Nowhere In Your Ad Should You Mention Your Child" 

That’s what Sherrie Schneider, co-author of The Rules for Online Dating, suggests in an article at LavaLife.com.

“Don’t say that you love hugging your three-year-old or taking walks with your teen,” Sherrie adds in the “The Single Mom Conundrum.”

“And never, ever, post a photograph online that shows you with your kids.”

I agree with Sherrie about the No Photos of Your Kids rule. And any online profile that gushes on and on about your kid reeks of I-need-a-life.

At LavaLife.com, writer Lola Augustine Brown explains that “after some depressing experiences, I’ve stopped mentioning my child in my ad. Is that wrong?”

I think so. Do you?

Sure, Lola checks off the box that asks whether she has kids — but she doesn’t divulge more. Sharon McKenna, author of Sex and the Single Mom, agrees at LavaLife.com that if a single mom wants to attract a man, she should not disclose her single mom status — “unless they ask you directly or you’re out on a date and it seems like there’s a real chance of romance, telling them isn’t necessary.”

Say what?

For one, when I’m out, I often have my kid in tow. Sure, I can pretend like we’re not related — which I’ve been known to do if she’s having a public whining bout. But I’m proud of being a single mom. And if any man is turned off by my single mom status, I want to know this ASAP.

When I wrote about my date with the Postman, I was a bit peeved that it took him three hours to tell me that he had kids (three girls!).

Most of you agreed that he should have mentioned his kids — say, after I’d mentioned mine. Amy from Kvetch Blog empathized with the dear Postman, that “maybe he has met women who were freaked by him having THREE daughters….Maybe he needed to see if he liked you before giving you too much personal information.”

Still, I agree with the single mom at LavaLife.com who said, “I’m supposed to wait until I’ve been dating someone for how long before I drop the “bomb” that I have children? That is ridiculous….I do not have time to be wasting dating guys that would clearly not be interested in me if they knew I were a single mom.”

I also like what this single dad added: “Any guy who can’t deal with [a single mom] is a jerk and not worth her time anyways. I am a single dad and hope that someday I’ll find the one…. You can’t start a relationship without honesty.”

What do you say, single parents?

If you’re online, do you check off the “kid” box, and leave it at that? Or, do you add a few details about, say, how you love to fly kites and drink hot cocoa with your kid?

If you find yourself chatting up a cute man or woman, do you casually work your single parent status into the conversation? Or, do you keep the topics kid-free?

Disclaimer: I NEVER tell a stranger that I have a daughter or how old she is. In person and online, I’ve said that I’m a single mom — but I leave out any details about gender or age.