Opinions on dating somebody half your age?

[Purplebuntingg]

E.g- 24 year old woman and 50 year old man. Opinions needed

If it's the man that's younger, yes. I'm married to younger man and have always dated younger guys. They're cuter and more fun. It's not always been right for a long term thing due to different life stages but good for a fling. I'm not into older men at all. There's been one I was into but in the end I found him too boring.

I would think that in most cases, one of both has some issues. They’re at very different places in their lives. Wouldn’t have worked for me.

Gross.

The man is probably a misogynist and can’t cope with a woman his equal in age knowledge and experience.

Are you talking about JD and Amber H? She was 23 and him 46 when they met.

Eww. Age gaps that big give me the ick. Imagine being with someone old enough to be your parent/young enough to be your child

I agree, @WhereTheLightMeetsTheSea . I’ve only known a handful of large age gap couples and in all cases, there was a back story with the younger person, I.e. reasons why they ended up with someone so much older. In one case, her first husband died suddenly at 32 so she literally grabbed the first man who came along as she wanted to start a family (she told me this, it’s not an assumption); another wanted to escape a difficult family situation and he had the financial stability to enable her to do this; the other had hero worship at work and assumed he’d be as perfect at home….what she didn’t realize was that his first marriage actually broke up because he was a workaholic and put work first- of course, he still does.

So the ones I’ve witnessed aren’t examples I’d want to follow!

Privately I'd be thinking what does she see in him? Obvious what he sees in her.

I feel the same. It's just grim.

Age gap relationships are the best. So many people of the same age split up don't they.

Couples of the same age that keep splitting up give me the ice more.

Surely if your children were happy why would it matter.

Big age gaps give me the ick.

However I know straight couples where the man is 15+ years younger. I also know gay and lesbian couples that are the same.

It is weird when you know the person who has such an older partner reasonable well and know there is nothing wrong with them but their sphere of people they fancy has a wide age differential.

For me the minimum age you should date is half your age +7.

@girlfriend44 Why would a couple of a similar age give you the ick? There’s nothing icky about two people of a similar age having a relationship.

People splitting up isn’t icky, it’s just sad.

I saw someone of 27 when I was 49 a couple of times. Had a lovely time, he was a sweetheart but it did feel very odd. I couldn't have imagined going on with it for too long tbh. I'm getting pension forecasts, he's- well he's 27!

Age is just a number... depends on the personality and life experience of those involved.

Age really isn't 'just a number'.

If it was, we'd see equal numbers of women saying they're with men half their age. But we don't. Not near.

Would you date a man half your age?

I'm a bit puzzled as to what point you're trying to make here?

Yes, many couples split up. Some after weeks, some after years. That's life.

However, divorce rates are considerably higher among couples with large age gaps, so not sure why you think "Age gap relationships are the best."

Thank you all for your opinions. I am just feeling unsure so wanted some thoughts

I am seeing somebody who I really like who is about to turn 50, the relationship is mostly sexual but he is affectionate towards me but I know I can’t be with him and I feel sad about that.

Depends - is he rich - then yeah

if he isn’t then no

I just know it probably won’t be a long term thing and that’s what I feel sad about as I do really like him. I’m very fond of him and worried about when the time comes to stop seeing him.

You can be with him if you want to. But I wouldn't regard a bit of affection as enough for a serious relationship, no. And I would guess it's not just his age that is a barrier to you being together.

There's nothing stopping you 'being with him' if you both want it.

However, I'd say that given the massive age difference, realistically this relationship probably doesn't have a future.

The reality is that relationships end all the time. People may be sad, but they mostly get over it. You don't really owe him anything. And cynical as it may sound, it's no surprise that he is 'affectionate' towards you. The world is full of 50 year old men looking to be with women half their age, but very few of them get lucky.

When I was 25 I had a boyfriend who was 45. It was great at the time, he was funny, good looking, intelligent, the conversation was great etc. We broke up three years later, he had two young adult children who had just finished uni and he didn't want anymore kids and I wanted kids.

I am now 46 with two young kids and he is now 66 with three young GC the same age as my kids! He has aged, he looks more like 76 (he spends a lot of time outdoors so weather aged).

It's fun when you're young but think about the long term....

It depends on the person. My husband is 16 years younger than me. It depends on the maturity level of both individuals and has literally nothing to do with the age itself.