It's pretty common to date someone who's a few years younger or older than you, and often the age difference is no big deal. Sometimes, maturity levels match, even when ages don't.
But an older woman brings a fresher and newer perspective to your life and helps you grow with her experience, her wisdom and her ability to understand a lot more. You will learn more, grow emotionally as a person and look at life differently, if you're dating someone older.
In short, research seems to indicate that in many cultures, an age gap of 1 to 3 years is considered ideal — but some researchers suggest even a relationship with an age gap of less than 10 years will bring more satisfaction.
Yes, a younger man falling for an older woman is more common than many think. There are many reasons why younger men fall for older women, but most commonly, he admires her maturity and experience associated with being an older person.
A relationship age gap bigger than 10 years often comes with its own set of issues. “While there are always exceptions to rules, a good rule to remember is that dating someone more than 10 years older will present challenges now or later that add to the preexisting challenges any relationship has,” he says.
There is no hard and fast rule on what kind of an age gap is or isn't acceptable in any relationship. While couples typically tend to have an age gap of around one to three years in many cultures, each individual will have a different comfort level that they feel is right for them.
Fitzpatrick says that the general age gap usually accepted by society is about ten to twelve years, after which you'll probably start raising some eyebrows; "Once one partner is old enough to be the other's parent, people tend to frown."
Key points. A new study found that many women enjoy dating younger men because it breaks down social barriers they traditionally face in relationships. Women in the study tended to assert their sexual needs and often experienced heightened levels of sexual pleasure with younger male partners.
Men who are attracted to older women are often emotionally intelligent and are able to navigate complex emotions and relationships with ease. They are able to empathise with others and are sensitive to their needs and feelings. They can understand emotions very well without being too critical.
Large age gaps are not easy but they are extremely rewarding both emotionally and physically. Yes, a man can truly love a much older woman in exactly the same way he would love a woman his same age.
Research suggests that an age gap of 27 to 32 months may be associated with the best health outcomes for mother and child. In terms of sibling relationship, siblings who are closer in age tend to fight more but are also closer which may have positive benefits for social skills.
Dating Age Rule. The dating age rule to determining a socially acceptable age difference in partners goes something like this: half your age plus seven (40 = 20 +7 = 27) to define the minimum age of a partner and your age minus seven times two (40 = 33 * 2 = 60) to define the maximum age of a partner.
Gerontophilia is the primary sexual attraction to the elderly. A person with such a sexual preference is a gerontophile or gerontosexual. The word gerontophilia was coined in 1901 by psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing. It derives from Greek: geron, meaning "old person" and philia, meaning "friendship".
Age should not be a barrier to love and companionship. There is no reason why a relationship between an older woman and younger man cannot work long term, provided both partners are committed and willing to put in the work.
Older ladies also tend to be emotionally mature, stable, confident, and independent. Attractive older women are less likely to be needy or jealous in a relationship. All of these great qualities mean that older women are often considered attractive women!
Since 2005, when Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher popularized the relationship of an older woman and a younger man, it seems the U.S. has become obsessed with calling women cougars and that popular culture is capitalizing on the slang.
"Half-your-age-plus-seven" rule
An often-asserted rule of thumb to determine whether an age difference is socially acceptable holds that a person should never date someone whose age is less than half their own plus seven years.
Cougar is a slang term for a woman who seeks romantic or sexual relationships with significantly younger men, women or both.
A 2020 large-scale mate preference study across 45 countries showed that men prefer younger and attractive women while women prefer older and financially stable men (1).
A mature woman won't fall prey to people who will belittle her just so they could feel better. She wants a man who knows how to appreciate her, her achievements, and someone proud of her. She will fall in love with a man who supports her with her endeavors.
A 20-year-old should not be in a relationship with a 17-year-old. While a three-year gap isn't, in itself, absolutely good or bad, even small age differences can be significant for younger people. They may be at different stages of emotional maturity.
Is a 15-year age difference too much? Not necessarily. If you and your partner have shared interests and similar goals, treat each other with kindness and respect, and enjoy your relationship, then don't let age get in the way of things!
Relationships with a big age gap can work if you're willing to put the effort in. There are times when they can seem more difficult because of generational differences; so, it's important to common interests and goals. If your values are aligned, it doesn't really matter if there is a large age gap.