Age Gap Relationships

alright, starting to paddle out now. should be there...soonish.

....still paddling...

You've lost a paddle!

and the age gaps thread has fallen flat again.

How does everyone feel about dating someone older vs younger?

I haven't had much experience in this case because I usually stick to

not older that 2 years more than my age

or no younger than 1 year less than my age

but I'm young and those are rules I've kinda followed since I was 14, time for change...

since I was 18, I haven't been interested in dating younger women. in fact, it was a rule for awhile.

but as I get older, I realize how silly it is to have rules like that. if you're a very average person, then you should be looking for exactly your demographic (in all areas), but if you're exceptional, you should be open to the fact that your exceptional match might be very much outside of your expectations.

as long as everything is legal

so Rhett... I'm fresh, barely legal ;) wanna take a bite?

I believe you already know the answer to that obvious one...

then again, this is about "Age Gap Relationships", not "Age Gap quickies"

but I'm young and those are rules I've kinda followed since I was 14, time for change...

that was what i thought

*sigh*

they always change the rules for me

you know we're reaaally fond of you cutie

I think that's it's alright to have a big age gap between the two but still have an intimate relationship. But, hey, maybe I'm typing this because I currently have a crush on a man who is way older. My perspective may change to: only if it's legal.

in that case, I have a song dedication for you (see thread)

Okay, i'll be back!

It's funny, I read the lyrics to that song. kind of similar to me I suppose, I don't know. But I've got no chance. it'll look bad if a 16 yr. old was with a 27 yr. old.

A friend of mine got dumped by his gf last year for a guy 12 years older than that girl. (he is 35, she is 23)

The thing is with relationships like that, that you basically still live in very different worlds (she was in her 5th year of medical school, he has a job). I think stuff like that can get in the way more than just the difference in years. You could argue that a relatianship between a 50 year old and a 30 year old is easier in many ways than a 21 year old college student and a 29 year old with a fulltime job.

You could argue that a relatianship between a 50 year old and a 30 year old is easier in many ways than a 21 year old college student and a 29 year old with a fulltime job.

I have to disagree because the 50- and 30-year-old are going to have problems if the younger one wants children. They are also going to have problems in the future when the older person is retiring and the younger one still has to work. Also, what if the older one needs to be taken care of? The younger person can't retire 20 years early to take care of their partner unless they're stinking rich. They may get frustrated that they can no longer enjoy life together because one of them is not young and fit enough to leave the house.

I do not see too many problems between the 21-year-old and the 29-year-old unless the older one is a professor at the 21-year-old's university. After all, the 21-year-old already knows how to take care of themselves, they are probably holding down a job on the side, they maybe have a car and so on. The only thing that could get in the way is the big student loan debt and if the younger person has trouble finding a full-time job after university.

In addition, I believe that a lot of problems people list for age gap relationships can occur in any relationship whether there is an age gap or not. It isn't just students who have trouble finding jobs and it isn't just people with older partners who begin getting bored of their relationship.

I guess that's another way of looking at it.

I guess it all depends more on the person's frame of mind, and less of his actual situation.

this is what I'm talking about.

it's true, any relationship can have any number of problems, but there are potentially more with an age gap. in the end it will come down to (obviously) the two people... but specifically how they are going to respond to challenge, and how they adapt.

like SS says, lifestyle would seem to be the biggest thing in my mind. but if you're the same age, let's say 23, and one goes to work and the other to med school, you'll have that problem.

hence both parties must accept where the other is in their life at that point and moving forward as well. it's a challenge... if people are meant for each other, they'll succeed.

it's a challenge... if people are meant for each other, they'll succeed.

that's everything that had to be said in this thread, everything written here before that sentence is useless.