Montana Yao addressed why dating has become difficult since becoming a single mother in a TikTok video. She explained that some men assume she is making excuses when she turns down opportunities to meet them.
Yao said her responsibilities as a full-time parent leave little room for romantic relationships. Although she has connected with potential partners, arranging dates has proved difficult without regular childcare support.
Her explanation also reflected a change in how she views relationships. After spending much of her life with a partner, Yao said she has become comfortable being single and is no longer actively searching for someone.
Two Long Relationships Shaped Her View of Dating
Yao recalled dating her high school sweetheart throughout high school and into her first year of community college. That relationship lasted approximately five to six years.
After being single for roughly a year, she met her former husband when she was around 19 or 20. Their relationship continued until she was 27.
Yao was previously married to NBA player Malik Beasley, with whom she shares two children, a son and a daughter. Per reports, she filed for legal separation in March 2025, citing irreconcilable differences.
Having spent most of her adolescence and adulthood in relationships, Yao acknowledged that being alone initially frightened her. She associated companionship with emotional security and struggled with the idea of living without a partner.
However, her perspective gradually changed. “I’m genuinely really happy being single,” she explained, reflecting on the independence she developed during the past two years.
That experience also changed her expectations of future partners. Yao admitted that wanting companionship had previously influenced her willingness to overlook relationship concerns.
Childcare Responsibilities Make Dating Difficult
Yao described her weekday routine, explaining that she drops her children off at school around 8 a.m. and collects them in the afternoon. Her evenings are generally dedicated to caring for them.
She recalled men suggesting that she could make time if she genuinely wanted to date. However, Yao maintained that her situation was not about a lack of romantic interest.
“I literally just don’t have time,” she stated.
Hiring a nanny would involve additional expenses, while her parents, who sometimes help, have their own responsibilities. Yao also alleged that she does not have a co-parent available to watch the children when she wants to go out.
Viewers Shared Their Own Experiences With Single Parenting and Dating
Yao’s comments prompted viewers to share their experiences with single parenting, dating and finding peace while being alone. Several related to her limited availability, while others discussed how remaining single had changed their expectations of relationships.
One viewer commented, “No, literally. We really have no time. I’m available from 9 pm till 9:15 pm”
Another suggested, “You would have to date another single parent that understands exactly what you are going through”
A third wrote, “The longer you stay single and parent the more at peace you become. Then you don’t want to be with anyone or at least until your kids are in their late teens.”
One commenter added, “Do understand what you are saying been done that it’s part of life welcome to the community another part of life and then you will have a final chapter of life”
