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Mention it, briefly, in the bio rather than the photos. Hiding it does not expand your options - it just moves the conversation to a point where someone feels misled. A plain line such as 'parent to a very funny eight-year-old' is enough, and it tells people something warm about you at the same time.
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It filters. People for whom it is a dealbreaker remove themselves before either of you spends time, and people for whom it is normal read it as straightforwardness.
A single clause is enough. It does not need to be the headline and it does not need explaining.
Waiting until the third date usually costs more than it saves. The person you have started to like now has to process the news and the fact that you held it back.
Keep it light and factual. 'Two kids, one dog, and a strong opinion about pancakes' works. 'My kids come first, so if you cannot handle that, swipe left' reads as defensive, and it answers an objection nobody has raised yet.
Many apps also have a field for children or family plans. Fill it in honestly so it agrees with your bio.
Standard advice and worth following, for their privacy rather than your image. A profile is a public document shown to strangers. Say it in words, show yourself in the photos.
That includes photos with their faces blurred or cropped out. A blurred child still signals a child and raises the same privacy question, and it looks awkward. A photo of you at the park or a school fair is fine if no child is identifiable.
If your time is genuinely constrained, saying so early saves a lot of friction later. It reads as organized rather than unavailable, provided you propose something concrete alongside it. 'I have the kids most weekends, so I am a weeknight dinner person' is honest and easy to plan around.
Be realistic about reply times as well. If you often cannot answer until the kids are asleep, a short 'evenings are when I am on here' saves someone wondering whether you have lost interest.
Names, schools and the details of custody can wait until you have met and trust someone. That is ordinary caution, and nobody reasonable will take it as secrecy.
Introducing a partner to your children belongs much later, once the relationship is established. You do not need to explain that timeline on a profile; it is enough to know it yourself.
Some people will pass because of the kids, and that is the filter working, not a judgment on you or your profile. A smaller number of well-suited matches is worth more than a larger number who would have left later. If matches are low overall, look at your photos and bio first, the same as anyone else, before blaming the disclosure.