What do you guys think is an age difference in a relationship still able to be considered acceptable, what's pushing it, and what's crossing the line? Feel free to provide experiences and stories as well!

I just would like to say, older men rock!

My limit would have to be around whatever age Prince is.

10 years either way.

18...38. Whichever.

(I am not serious)

FauxReal said:

10 years either way.

18...38. Whichever.

(I am not serious)

KidaDynamite said:

I just would like to say, older men rock!

My limit would have to be around whatever age Prince is.

hahahaha! perfect!

Dabbing my hands in the water of older men and I think you might be right there.

I dated a girl who was 25 when I was 38. That's been the biggest age difference I've ever personally experienced and it wasn't a problem at all because she wasn't what I saw as a typical 25 year-old. I generally don't consider age much when dating although the women I usually date are between 30 and 40.

half your age plus seven years

SaraWright10 said:

KidaDynamite said:

I just would like to say, older men rock!

My limit would have to be around whatever age Prince is.

hahahaha! perfect!

Dabbing my hands in the water of older men and I think you might be right there.

There's just something about them. I've found that I am usually attracted to guys around the age of 35.

violator said:

I dated a girl who was 25 when I was 38. That's been the biggest age difference I've ever personally experienced and it wasn't a problem at all because she wasn't what I saw as a typical 25 year-old. I generally don't consider age much when dating although the women I usually date are between 30 and 40.

When you was 38?

I thought you were around 34-35 now.

KidaDynamite said:

violator said:

I dated a girl who was 25 when I was 38. That's been the biggest age difference I've ever personally experienced and it wasn't a problem at all because she wasn't what I saw as a typical 25 year-old. I generally don't consider age much when dating although the women I usually date are between 30 and 40.

When you was 38?

I thought you were around 34-35 now.

I know... Sad, ain't it? I'm 41.

violator said:

KidaDynamite said:

When you was 38?

I thought you were around 34-35 now.

I know... Sad, ain't it? I'm 41.

Well, you just made 41 look even sexier.

SaraWright10 said:

What do you guys think is an age difference in a relationship still able to be considered acceptable, what's pushing it, and what's crossing the line? Feel free to provide experiences and stories as well!

How old are you?

KidaDynamite said:

violator said:

I know... Sad, ain't it? I'm 41.

Well, you just made 41 look even sexier.

The biggest age difference in a relationship for me was when I was 18 and he was 32.

It didn't work out. It don't think the age difference was to blame. More the fact that he turned out to be a knob.

If zero is the point of the age of consent (factored in regional/local laws notwithstanding) in regards to the x, y, and z axis` in fluctuation of various mitigating factors explained by the yellow curve of the graph as it approaches zero.

People can have maturity levels that are relatively independent of age but there's something to be said for life experience plus I just wouldn't want to date someone who's at a whole different stage of her life with all the different priorities it entails. So usually when I get interested in someone, she's very close to my age.

SaraWright10 said:

What do you guys think is an age difference in a relationship still able to be considered acceptable, what's pushing it, and what's crossing the line? Feel free to provide experiences and stories as well!

I would date anyone who is the age of my eldest daughter 24....and I wouldn't date anyone who is as old as my parents 75.

Age is really a number. You can be 65 and look like you are in your 40's, and feel like you are in your 30's.

As a teenager and early 20's I always dated men who were much older then I.

I don't have an opinion. I guess it depends on what you want out of the relationship and what type of person you each are.

My Dad was 23 years older than my Mom. I've never once heard my mom complain about the age difference or anything like ohhhhh I didn't get to enjoys my 20s cuz your dad was in his forties or anything like that.

My last boyfriend was 44 and I'm 31, so he was 13 years older, and I had no problem with that. I actually liked it.

My boyfriend now is 4 years younger than me and there have been no issues with that yet either. It does bother me once in a while that I'm in my 30s and he's only in his 20s. Like If I was 36 and he was 31 I don't think it would bother me as much. Honestly though I like to do 20 year old things more than he does, he'd rather do 30 year old things, so I guess it balances out. I just feel insecure about it sometimes, cause all his friends are in their 20s and so I feel old at times, but he never makes me feel that way. I ask him do his guy friends make fun that I am older, and he says no that they think its hot.

I don't mind older that much, I just won't date any girl younger than 21 now that I'm 25. Bees like that.

Although women are generally more mature...wouldn't rule out everyone like that. But.

[Edited 10/14/10 7:20am]

retina said:

People can have maturity levels that are relatively independent of age but there's something to be said for life experience plus I just wouldn't want to date someone who's at a whole different stage of her life with all the different priorities it entails. So usually when I get interested in someone, she's very close to my age.

I agree. I assess hypothetical partners individually (hypothetical, because I'm already partnered), but I do think there is a sort of generational culture that influences how persons of a certain age -- alongside other demographic markers -- relate to others/life/the world. It could bear out in something as weighty as how we negotiate discretionary monies or goals in establishing a famiy/household to something light like what idioms or silly pop cultural references we take for granted. Detail like that can really color a relationship.

All that said, if I were single, I think my ideal partner, if he were male, would be my age up to 10 years older. I've found I best fit with them. If through some uncanny turn of events I found myself with another female partner, I think she'd need to be exactly my age. No older woman would put up with my crap , and no younger partner -- male or female -- would much seize my attention; nor I theirs, I suspect.

retina said:

People can have maturity levels that are relatively independent of age but there's something to be said for life experience plus I just wouldn't want to date someone who's at a whole different stage of her life with all the different priorities it entails. So usually when I get interested in someone, she's very close to my age.

That's a good point. I've always dated people older than me because I have nothing in common with people my own age and I always felt like I was born an adult in a child's body. When I was 18 I started dating my boyfriend who was 36 at the time. We're still best friends today (he just had a quintuple bypass earlier this week!). My family thought I was a freak though which was upsetting. My current boyfriend is 18 years older than me (I'm 29). He posts on this forum actually...

People think it's disgusting but I really don't care. It's just embarrassing when people find out and they give you dirty looks. It's bad enough the looks I get when they discover I am gay.

I'm 49, so late twenties and up is cool with me. I'll date women older than me as long as they look good and keep their bodies together.

These days I can’t imagine dating someone much more than a few years younger or much more than about 10 years older. That’s certainly not cast in stone, but overall would tend to be my preference. If someone’s goals are similar and we’re compatible in other aspects it wouldn’t be a big deal to fall outside of that.

as long as he still has a pulse.

[img:$uid]http://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx182/fsautter/th_79279e.jpg?t=1287076808[/img:$uid]

TOO old, and just plain WRONG!

SaraWright10 said:

What do you guys think is an age difference in a relationship still able to be considered acceptable, what's pushing it, and what's crossing the line? Feel free to provide experiences and stories as well!

I think it depends on the starting age of both parties.

We could say five years is acceptable but come on....if one person is 15 and the other is 20, then you're basically robbing the cradle.

If we start at say 20 (out of your teens and done with highschool). I'd say 5 years is acceptable.

Once you start getting into 10 and 15 it's pushing it because the age difference will become more significant as both people age. a 25 year old may think her 35 year old boyfriend is bomb but once she's 30 and he's 45 - he just becomes the old dude she feels stuck with.

Any age difference so significant where one person is old enough to be your parent/grandparent is really crossing the line and you have to question the motivation of both people. Is it basically a pay for play situation? When did younger people ever date someone old enough to be their parent where money wasn't a factor? Think Anna Nicole and that chick that married Dennis Hopper. Think that dude that's banging Hulk Hogan's ex-wife. Why would a person date someone the same age as or younger than their own child? Do they have suppressed pedo issues, fantasies about their kids or their kids friends?

Also, life experiences and social status are a major issue when dealing with someone older or younger. Do you as an older person want to date someone born the same year as the invention of the cell phone ? Do you as a younger person want to date someone who can remember when a loaf of bread cost 10 cents?

... Well... I'm 23 and my "boy"friend is 42!

luv4u said:

SaraWright10 said:

What do you guys think is an age difference in a relationship still able to be considered acceptable, what's pushing it, and what's crossing the line? Feel free to provide experiences and stories as well!

How old are you?

I'm actually 18!

MoniGram said:

SaraWright10 said:

What do you guys think is an age difference in a relationship still able to be considered acceptable, what's pushing it, and what's crossing the line? Feel free to provide experiences and stories as well!

I would date anyone who is the age of my eldest daughter 24....and I wouldn't date anyone who is as old as my parents 75.

Age is really a number. You can be 65 and look like you are in your 40's, and feel like you are in your 30's.

As a teenager and early 20's I always dated men who were much older then I.

All these answers are really great!! Really helpful for sure.

Thanks for your input specifically Moni, I love hearing advice from friends and I love that you have experienced dating much older men

^ Sarah that 40 year old man is just using you! j/k