| It has been common in our society for some time | | | | Conversation will be stilted and uneven, and your |
| for older men to date younger women. Perhaps only | | | | goals in life will be disparate and hard to reconcile. Of |
| recently has some of the stigma been lifted when it | | | | course, this can also be the case for people of the |
| comes to older women dating younger men, though | | | | same age, but the age difference simply compounds |
| it is still by far the rarity (when talking about a | | | | it that much more. |
| difference of more than five years, that is). Of | | | | Of course, even if the age difference is there, you |
| course, even in the movies and celebrity culture, it is | | | | have to look at what you both enjoy. Do you have |
| commonplace to see older (even old) men dating | | | | common interests and desires? If so, then an age |
| women half their age. It may cause a snicker or two, | | | | difference of any size can potentially be overcome. |
| but is there any reason for it? Does age really make | | | | There's certainly no sense in throwing away a chance |
| a difference when it comes to dating? | | | | at happiness just because of a number. It's just a |
| Well, it's not so much the numbers, as what you did | | | | good thing to be aware of, in case some difference |
| to fill them. There are plenty of thirty year old men | | | | should arise. But if two people are committed to |
| who would be perfect for a twenty year old woman, | | | | making something work, it can, in spite of any |
| because their maturity levels are about the same. | | | | obstacles that might come up. |
| This could either be because the girl is mature | | | | One thing to make sure you put up front is your |
| beyond her years (in rare cases) or because the man | | | | separate goals for a long term relationship. This can |
| is emotionally and maturely stunted (much more | | | | save either of you from wasting your time. Now, this |
| common). In that case, the age difference shouldn't | | | | may not be first date material, but then again it may. |
| matter much at all. But in other cases, that gulf of | | | | If one of you is ready to have kids and the other is |
| ten years could make a match virtually impossible. | | | | looking to start a family ten years down the line, this |
| When you start talking about age differences | | | | could be a major warning sign. The key is to talk it |
| beyond ten years, then the game becomes a little | | | | out and find out where, if anywhere, your |
| different, and the chances of success a little smaller. | | | | compatibility lies. If it's there, and it's strong, the |
| After a while, most people will simply be into | | | | difference in years may be nothing more than the |
| different things and have experience far too much in | | | | foibles of any new relationship. |
| life to be happy with someone so much younger. | | | | |