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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I'm 30 and dating a 19 year old

455 replies

Luciferthethird · 13/08/2019 18:01

That's it really, I've 2 DC's they've not been introduced yet, still too early for that. We've been dating for about 3 weeks. He's lovely and he keeps telling me the age gap doesn't bother him.
My sister has the exact same age gap between herself and her partner but somehow that seems more acceptable when it's the man that's older. I just need a sounding board really.

OP posts:
CrowleysBentley · 14/08/2019 03:56

I have a 19 year old daughter and a 20 year old son. If either of them came home and said they were dating a 30 year old parent to 2 children, I would be pissed off, worried that they were being taken advantage of and i would seriously wonder what was wrong with the person they're dating that they want a relationship with such an obvious power imbalance. It's gross, a 19 year old is barely more than a child. Still a teen!

IamWaggingBrenda · 14/08/2019 04:07

I have a 19 yo and I would not be happy with her dating a 30 yo man - so no, not really acceptable if the genders were reversed. And he still lives at home with his parents? Sorry, but I think it’s inappropriate.

StarlightLady · 14/08/2019 05:01

OP - enjoy yourself! Laugh together, giggle together, hold hands together, have sex together but don’t see it as long term.

Enjoy Flowers

Mileysmiley · 14/08/2019 05:07

I have dated men slightly younger than me but found them to be a bit immature. If you are only with him for sex and not anything long term good luck to you.

I was out yesterday shopping and saw an old man with a pretty young Thai girl. It did turn my stomach when he kept calling her baby all the time.

GPatz · 14/08/2019 05:21

I was 19 when I started dating a 30 year old. We lasted 11 years before we split amicably because we wanted different things. Met someone closer my age around six months after split and was married with two children within six years.

DeeCeeCherry · 14/08/2019 05:39

You must be starstruck if a mere 3 weeks in you're posting about him here + thinking about when is best to introduce him to your DCs. You've not even been established for 1 month.

MardyMavis · 14/08/2019 08:27

@Weymo wtaf your sister is with a paedo.
Does she think this is ok? You need to get your sister away from him now! and call the fucking police I'm shocked.

Ticklemeelmo · 14/08/2019 08:28

It wouldn't be for me, however I'll say this- you would be getting way less grief about this on here if the genders were reversed.

motherheroic · 14/08/2019 08:34

The comments are really interesting. Constantly you see women on here talk about how they meet their husband while they were in their teens and their husband was in his 30's.

Now suddenly this woman is immature? Surely the grown men who date teenagers are also immature then.

DeeCeeCherry · 14/08/2019 08:43

Of course she's immature - She's met some young dude & only 3 weeks in she's making posts about him plus mulling over when it's best for him to meet her kids. Come on now

WhoAmIToTellYou · 14/08/2019 08:46

You are setting yourself up for a lot of unhappiness. The fact you are even mentioning introducing him to your kids 3 weeks in makes me think you are very naive. See if it lasts 3 months.
I think you will get judged for this relationship in rl and so will he by his peers.

Luciferthethird · 14/08/2019 09:05

@DeeCeeCherry I don't know how many times I can say that I'm not mulling over when it's best to meet my kids.
I have my own reasons for staying away from long term relationships and my children and their need are a large part of that.

OP posts:
Lovingthesunshine88 · 14/08/2019 09:23

Met my DH at 19 he was 32 the age gap never bothered me at all. 11 years on we're happier than ever so go for it OP.

We got judge got told it would never work but our relationship has lasted longer than those people's relationship who judged us.

When i met DH i knew i would never meet a nicer kinder funnier man so that alone made me instantly not give a shit about the age gap. Plus seeing my friends over the year's being with people the same age as us and all the drama made me realise i definitely made the right decision. Maybe your DP is the same some people mature alot quicker than others and genuinely know what they want from life. I became a stepmom to his 2DS and i wouldn't want my life any other way so f*&k what people say just be happy Smile

AnyFucker · 14/08/2019 09:30

Surely the grown men who date teenagers are also immature then.

Yes.

AnyFucker · 14/08/2019 09:32

Op, FWIW, I didn't get the impression you were planning to introduce him to your kids.

I think you just used a figure of speech to pre-empt people asking you about that and folk have run with it.

GissASquizz · 14/08/2019 09:38

I've got a 19 year old son. I would be eyeing you with deep suspicion and we would not become friends.

motherheroic · 14/08/2019 09:42

@AnyFucker Alright, good. I thought as much.

Skittlenommer · 14/08/2019 09:43

@GizzASquizz I've got a 19 year old son. I would be eyeing you with deep suspicion and we would not become friends

I’m sure sure wouldn’t lose any sleep over that! Grin

AnyFucker · 14/08/2019 09:45

I have a 19yo son too

Maybe you have to be in that position to understand how icky this feels. He is a boy and all those folk saying 19yo boys are "grown men" must not have a son of that age and have poor memories of their own teenage years and the interactions they had with them

Flerkin · 14/08/2019 09:47

Constantly you see women on here talk about how they meet their husband while they were in their teens and their husband was in his 30's.

Yep and that's creepy too.

Plenty of us have said so on this thread, when people have said they were in their teens when they met their 30 plus Dh/dp

Sunshineinwinter · 14/08/2019 09:51

Envy not envy

Wrong on all levels OP. I am 30 would not dream of entertaining a young man under 25 especially under 21.

BellyButton85 · 14/08/2019 10:00

He's still classed as in his teens. I certainly wouldn't be looking long-term into this. I just hope he isn't bragging to his friends about his cougar. Men/boys that age tend to be less 'grown up' than us woman/girls.
Still all the best to you and hope it works out how you want

Skittlenommer · 14/08/2019 10:03

Whether you consider a 19 year old to be a boy or not legally he is considered an adult man and can do exactly as he pleases! If as a parent you tell him no, he’ll just do it but behind your back.

Andysbestadventure · 14/08/2019 10:08

If you were 50 and he was 39 it wouldn't be an issue. If you were 40 and he was 29 it wouldnt really be much of an issue. But you are 30 and he is a teenager. At 19 most lads have the mental maturity that you did at 15/16.

I'd be wondering what on earth you have in common with a 19yr old at your age OP, tbf.

If it's just a casual shag crack on, he's an adult, but as a dating relationship? Christ. Even morally, just no.

Imagine if a 30yr old man was dating a 19yr old girl. Just as 🤢

zeezee3 · 14/08/2019 10:09

Yes there WOULD be the same reaction if it were a man in his 30s dating a teenager, and yes a man of that age dating a teenager WOULD be thought of as immature. Like a pp, I also question the motives and scruples of someone in their 30s dating a teenager. It's grim. Actually grim.

And as a pp said, even though older women dating someone much younger - even young enough to be their son - are all smug, and 'ain't you all so jell of me?' I can assure you that most people are laughing at you behind your back (when they're not grimacing at the thought of it..) In addition I agree with previous posters that the friends and colleagues of the younger man will be taking the piss too. And his family will be horrified by it.

I do wonder WHY a woman wants/needs a man who is much younger? Maybe she is looking for a carer for when she's a bit older.

Also, these women assuming other women are jealous of them, do look a bit daft to be honest. No-one is jealous, there is no REASON to be jealous, and you're embarrassing yourself and coming across as a bit of an arsehole by claiming women are jealous of you because of your younger man.

All I feel is embarrassed for them, and a bit sorry for them, because they never have anything in common with these 'younger men' and the men often turn out to be cocklodgers and/or generally immature dickheads, and she often turns out to be like a mother to him. (Waiting on him hand and foot, and giving him handouts, and letting him live rent-free at her place.) I just feel sorry for any kids she has. Must be incredibly embarrassing and humiliating for them. Sad

I have known several women with men 15-20 years younger, and they get SO angry that people think she is his mother. Well of COURSE they will with an age gap like that. Hilariously, these women always think they look dead young. They don't. Like everyone else, they look their age. And so does he. And THAT is why people think you're his mother!

Regarding the hilarious 'aren't you jealous' bollocks... I know someone recently, who had her third son in the spring, and she sent pics of all 3 boys to her friend she had known for 20 years, (who has 2 daughters,) saying 'here's a pic of my 3 lovely iccle boys! thought I'd send it to make you jealous!' Grin

Just absolutely cringeworthy for this woman to think ANYone would be jealous of her. Especially as it's common knowledge that this woman wanted a daughter desperately, and cried for a week when her third child was another boy! Confused

I also knew someone who moved to Australia around 2013 who kept sending me pics of her house and garden (with a pool!) to make me jealous... Confused I was confused and slightly annoyed, because I had no desire to visit Australia, let alone LIVE there. I care too much about my family and friends here to piss off to the other side of the planet and leave them all behind!

Then in 2016, she came back (with her DH,) and said the 3 years had been the unhappiest of her life, and they had lost around £50,000 during the 3-4 years (what with being there, and preparing to go - loss of income, loss on the property, travel costs, air fares, having to put a deposit on a private rental house in the UK to come back to. etc...)

Long story short, when someone is desperately trying to convince you that they are soooo happy, and you must be soooo jealous of them, they are almost ALWAYS not happy at all. They are trying to convince themselves AND everyone else that they are happier than ANYONE else, but most people can see straight through them! Wink

As has been said 'methinks the lady doth protest too much.........'

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