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Mothers of straight young men 25-35YO - what are your boys up to?

292 replies

SleepRelay · 28/03/2026 09:57

Asking for DD (26) and at least 3 of her girlfriends… All good, beautiful, smart, professional young women with family values, none can find love. Men spend a few weeks wooing them, get what they were after and ghost them immediately or come up with some story why it would not work. One is still a virgin as she has seen enough of that and does not to “waste” it. Occasionally, they meet men through work or social contacts, but mostly on dating apps.

She came home last night and started a serious conversation about freezing her eggs.

So, my question is where are the decent, working, respectful young men? They are not in gyms, mine is full of much older or much younger. What are your boys saying about dating scene? Are they on apps? Sorry about the rambling, I just would like to know what it’s like on the other side.

OP posts:
Dawnintheageofaquariams · 29/03/2026 18:17

SleepRelay · 28/03/2026 09:57

Asking for DD (26) and at least 3 of her girlfriends… All good, beautiful, smart, professional young women with family values, none can find love. Men spend a few weeks wooing them, get what they were after and ghost them immediately or come up with some story why it would not work. One is still a virgin as she has seen enough of that and does not to “waste” it. Occasionally, they meet men through work or social contacts, but mostly on dating apps.

She came home last night and started a serious conversation about freezing her eggs.

So, my question is where are the decent, working, respectful young men? They are not in gyms, mine is full of much older or much younger. What are your boys saying about dating scene? Are they on apps? Sorry about the rambling, I just would like to know what it’s like on the other side.

They are adults capable of making legally binding choices.
What do mothers have to do with it?
If they are fucking up at 25, they were fucking up in the ten to fifteen years before that when @SleepRelay your parenting had a chance of having an influence.

Fiddy1964 · 29/03/2026 18:17

Have 3 sons, 37,35 & 22.
37yr old settled with partner & planning their first child.
35yr old, single but would like to be in a relationship but struggle with this due to autism.
22yr old, finishes final year at Uni in May. Never had a relationship and not interested. Also has autism.

Catladywithacat · 29/03/2026 18:16

So good your daughter is a virgin the men out here 90% are trash she is missing nothing

tenderbee · 29/03/2026 18:15

Additup · 28/03/2026 12:20

I agree, that's a really weird thing to think/say.

Her body, her choice only applies when she chooses to have sex with any random bloke? Be on contraceptives? Have abortions?
It doesn't apply when she does not want to do it randomly?

tenderbee · 29/03/2026 18:10

TigTails · 28/03/2026 10:16

”Wasting” your virginity?

Ew.

Ever heard of HER BODY, HER CHOICE?.
If she feels having sex when she's not yet married or very deep in commitment is wasting her virginity, SO BE IT.

Anna1mac · 29/03/2026 18:10

Two of my boys, 20 and 25 are madly in love with their lovely gf's so I can't help you there. My 22 year old is too busy working all the possible hours right now to have time for a relationship but I'm sure he'll soon find someone. My boys are ordinary boys and their girlfriends are natural, none of those full of Botox/ fillers and caked in make up that so many young girls seem to be into these days.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 29/03/2026 18:09

Ds1 is married, with three dds, ds2 is engaged and getting married later this year, and ds3 is currently single, having just got out of a long term relationship (the break up was not his fault).

MilliM · 29/03/2026 18:07

Mine are 28 and 30. What they do socially -
Gym
Badminton
Board games
Pub quizzes
Cricket
Walking
Running

The above with friends and colleagues of both sexes.

They rarely go out to clubs or pubs, maybe once a year clubs and pub quiz once a month. They don't drink much alcohol but like eating out.

Both live with partners and bought houses in the last couple of years.
They did struggle to meet someone though. Both despaired of dating apps and had long periods of miserable failures at meeting nice girls. DS2 in particular as he started a grad scheme in a new city in lockdown and had a lonely time of it.
Both eventually met their partners on tinder though. Both amazing lovely women.

It's never been easy. Meeting someone on a night out seems risky, dating work colleagues potentially problematic. I remember having the same trouble myself in 1976. I joined a sports club, met DH who had joined to meet girls and we never went back...

Dancingintherain09 · 29/03/2026 18:03

My (nearly) 25ds is saving for a home of his own as he wants to buy this year. He had someone he had started talking to after she found out how much he had in the bank she was pestering him to buy her stuff even started asking for a car. He ghosted her and blocked her. He was upset about it but he didn't want someone like that he felt was hanging around for financial gain. He's kind of stayed away since as he felt burnt from it. He's such a lovely guy too. He's funny, kind and intelligent super outgoing and sociable with a good career and good future ahead....I'd love him to meet someone who is self sufficient and independent like he is.

Ezzee · 29/03/2026 18:02

DS is 29, owned his own home for 5 years, drives a nice car and works hard.
He doesn't go out often and likes his own company, has hobbies he loves ( solitary) but when in a relationship he really comes out of himself.
He does have challenge's as he has AuDHD, but he is good looking ( yeah I'm biased) hard working and incredibly kind, he is single but not looking as his last GF cheated on him, strung him along telling him they had a future, only on a break etc, she became evasive and cruel, I also had the horrid job of telling him she was pregnant and about to give birth as I bumped into her.... she begged me not to tell him!

IcebergRightAhead · 29/03/2026 18:00

ParmaVioletTea · 28/03/2026 18:49

I feel you @SleepRelay and I'm 40 years older than your DD and her friends. This has always been an issue for well-educated professional women. Men are hopeless. The ones who want to settle down wait till their mid thirties and then find a 20 year old. They can't cope with their contemporaries.

Young women who want to have a bit of fun in their 20s, get their degrees and establish their careers face - tumbleweed. Men can't cope with clever women who are their equals.

Middle class/professional women who marry are lucky, not anything else. - they're not superior, just lucky. Or they drop their standards.

Men get away with being Pete Pan in a way that women can't. The press & public opinion about women not having children etc etc are the same now as it was when I was in my 20s in the early 1990s. It's always the woman's fault - never the issue with these Peter Pan men.

I work in a sector where everyone is highly educated and qualified (or working towards professional qualifications) and there’s broadly a 50/50 split between the sexes.

There are quite a few couples I work with where each partner is just as qualified as the other. If not in the same industry, both the men and the women have partners who are professionals. I can’t think of any man I work with who is married to a woman who isn’t his “contemporary”.

You say yourself you’re 40 years older, so I’m not sure why you’re so convinced things are the same as they were.

plinkityplink · 29/03/2026 17:57

ChikinLikin · 28/03/2026 10:06

They live with their girlfriends.

This! I have two in the upper end of the age range.

what you need to ask is ‘where do they need to go to meet decent boys?’

One of mine met his partner at college, but didn’t get together until the bumped into each other at a fair a few years later, the other met his at a festival as she was ‘friend of friends’ and knew her for a few years before finally getting together.

Retired65 · 29/03/2026 17:57

My son is nearly 35. He is divorced no children. His ex wife decided that she wanted to be a man! My son likes playing computer games and walking. He belongs to a walking group. He occasionally goes to church. No girlfriend on the scene at the moment.

MrsMitford3 · 29/03/2026 17:56

Both of my DS's are in this category.
DS1 did meet his now wife on Hinge.
He was post Uni and she was doing a Masters at the time.
Happily married, both great jobs, live in London.
Very happy to be settled down.

DS2 met now fiancée at Uni and have been together since.
Marrying this Spring.
Both great jobs, own a flat. Stayed up north where they went to Uni.
Lots of their Uni friends getting engaged and married in the next year.

Good luck to your DD and her friends-I would suggest maybe they are looking in the wrong places or for the wrong things?

SkinnyLatteExtraHotPlease · 29/03/2026 17:53

My son is 24, he's graduated & back living at home.
He works 2 jobs, barista & waiter, whilst desperately trying to make it as an actor.
He's had 2 serious relationships & a few not so serious.
He's a handsome, funny 6' 4 charmer so lack of opportunity it is not 😊
He has no interest in girls atm he works with females & gets the impression (from them) that they all hate men.
He's happy with the gym, most sports & Lego (!) He eats well, doesn't drink much alcohol & is kind, respectful & great company.

user1485851222 · 29/03/2026 17:49

DS 34, good job, good looking, own property. Not perfect, who is. Ex GF's, little princesses, expects the man to do everything, provide everything. They were all nice, but mummy & daddy give them allowances, MH issues, unable to handle stress. Expects the guy to be available 100%. Close for 12 months then filters out... Can never see him settling down.

IcebergRightAhead · 29/03/2026 17:48

PassingStranger · 28/03/2026 23:55

Gaming wonderful not.
Not out there playing sport and keeping fit or going for a run?

I wonder what the response would be if you told a woman she should be going for a run?

Gaming may not be to your taste but ultimately these men are working and spending their free time as they please. Keeping fit doesn’t take much time and no one has any idea if they’re quietly going for a run before work or spending an hour in the gym when they finish.

But even though they’re simply minding their own business and living their lives how they want, they have women they don’t know on the internet judging them for not maximising their eligibility for other women. And yet people can’t understand why so many are turning their backs on relationships!

IcebergRightAhead · 29/03/2026 17:33

How interesting that your daughter and her friends can’t find boyfriends and yet it’s the fault of other women’s sons for not being good enough, rather than your daughter falling short.

Everyone in that age range who are in healthy relationships are in those relationships because they actually like their partners. They enjoy being with each other and sharing their lives. The “relationship” comes second.

It sounds like your daughter is looking for someone who has what she wants, not someone who is what she wants. Instead of trying to find “a relationship”, she should be looking for someone she enjoys being with.

Although I agree with some other posters about her comments about freezing her eggs at 25, having “family values” and friends who are proud virgins isn’t exactly translating as her being eligible. What are family values, exactly? If she’s hoping to find someone who’ll be happy to go out to work and earn all the money while she sits at home with the oven on, I think she’ll be waiting a while…

BatsInHibernation · 29/03/2026 17:05

'virginity' is nonsense anyway
Vaginal penetration is not the only way to have sex.

susiedaisy1912 · 29/03/2026 17:04

Mine are both in long term relationships, (one meet his online and the other met his through work), both have ordinary type jobs, one has a house with his partner and plan to marry next year, the other lives at home still but is saving for a house with his partner. It does seem harder for the younger generation to meet people these days

BatsInHibernation · 29/03/2026 16:59

TigTails · 28/03/2026 10:16

”Wasting” your virginity?

Ew.

I know, yuck. Like it's nothing to do with her own pleasure and exploration, more a 'gift' to bestow.
Ew indeed.

Itmustbelovelovelove · 29/03/2026 16:56

@TonTonMacoute
I think violet was referring accurately to the 1990s amongst high earners.
It was definitely the case in the City (square mile) at that time

TonTonMacoute · 29/03/2026 16:38

ParmaVioletTea · 28/03/2026 18:49

I feel you @SleepRelay and I'm 40 years older than your DD and her friends. This has always been an issue for well-educated professional women. Men are hopeless. The ones who want to settle down wait till their mid thirties and then find a 20 year old. They can't cope with their contemporaries.

Young women who want to have a bit of fun in their 20s, get their degrees and establish their careers face - tumbleweed. Men can't cope with clever women who are their equals.

Middle class/professional women who marry are lucky, not anything else. - they're not superior, just lucky. Or they drop their standards.

Men get away with being Pete Pan in a way that women can't. The press & public opinion about women not having children etc etc are the same now as it was when I was in my 20s in the early 1990s. It's always the woman's fault - never the issue with these Peter Pan men.

What an odd post. I don't see why you need to assign 'fault' in this way. It's okay for women to focus on their careers in prime childbearing years, I don't understand what you think men are doing wrong.

I think it's more the case that some women are more happy than others to put a hold on career to settle down. I don't think it's men's 'fault' that they are the ones they pick to marry.

SleepRelay · 29/03/2026 14:59

Thank you for your replies. Plenty to digest, and I agree that it’s too early to worry.

OP posts:
Mossstitch · 29/03/2026 14:04

EverardDeTroyes · 28/03/2026 10:36

I have two. They have good jobs but in male dominated industries. They still live at home, I've no idea why as they have healthy deposits to put down on first homes. Maybe they are hoping to buy outright?! They are shy, introverts who spend their free time gaming or painting Warhammer. If anyone could send round their lovely girls to drag my boys out, I will be eternally grateful.

Snap @EverardDeTroyes 😂 except in female dominated nhs so can't understand why my two youngest never have girlfriends, they are good looking, great with little kids, kind, polite, plenty money as had inheritances ...........but upstairs on computers (one surrounded by warhammer the other with books)🤷
Eldest lives abroad and does finally have a partner but is over 40 and neither want children, ive given up hope of bei g a grandma (not verbalised that to any of them of course). A friend of mines daughter gave up looking at 40 and had a baby by IVF on her own.