Age gaps what is ok what is not ok ?

[Lesj8995]

What's your opinions on age gaps ?

Is 20 and 30 ok ? Is 19 and 24 ok ? Is 45 and 50 ok ?

Feel like people always seem shocked when I inform them me and my oh have a 5 year gap but don't feel the age ago myself, why are some age gaps socially acceptable and some not as long as both individuals are adults? Feel like until I get past my twenties it will always be frowned upon....

I'm 23 and DP is 39. It may bother some people but it doesn't bother me and tbh I couldn't care less, I love him just the way he is even if he'll be a 40 year old dad to our baby and his hair is a little thinner than he's like on top :p

I wouldn't think twice about 5 years OP unless you were under 18

I'm 46 DH almost 60. We've been together 25 years.
It is only now I'm noticing the age Gap. He's ready to retire. I feel in the prime of life. I still feel young (ish) a lot of my friends who are 45 ish have husbands the same age. My DH is an oldie next to them. Some of my younger friends (mums from school) have parents a similar age to DH.
To be honest, I love him, but hate the age gap. It is what it is, but now I wish he was nearer my own age.

What about this age gap?

There is 10 yrs between DH and I , I never think about it , but others still seem shocked when they realise .

We've been married 15yrs, so it seems to be going ok

Its not big age gap,but its an age were stuff happens.finish uni,start job,career
So the gap can feel big,as the responsibilities,opportunities are different
How i was 19yo completely different to me at 24.

And on a more serious note, there is 18 years between my parents. When they married, DM was 27 and DF 45. Now my mother is 74 and getting older and tired, but mentally very active - DF is 92, physically ok for that age, but has Alzheimers, and can do nothing for himself. My mother never imagined being a 24 hr carer when she was 27 and very much in love

I was 16 and dp was almost 25 when we met, we're still together now. I'm 25 and expecting our third dc. I don't really notice our age gap because I'm old for my age and always have been and dp is quite immature for his age so we sort of meet in the middle.

47, DP 31, been together 8 yrs and he is way more middle aged than me (much better bod though!). I used to notice people looking at us but that wears off. Helps that his family are great and v welcoming.
Only worry? I can't have any more children and he should have his own kids.

We have some friends with a 20+ year age gap: she's 50 next birthday and he's 72. Second marriage for both of them.

KnockMeDown a few of my Mums friends are in similar situations, having to look after elderly parents too.
Quite a few of my friends husbands are 10+ years older than them.
I was 17 when I met DH and he was 20 no massive gap although one day he picked me up from work placement and they said my a Dad was there! I made him shave his beard after that

Try this for an age gap;
16/17yr old dsis with a 34 yr old man.
23 yr old same dsis (ditched the looser above) marrying a 39yr old man.
Now divorced. She's 33 and with a 37yr old.

Given her form I fully expect her to be with a 30 something man when she's in her eighties!

Hey I broke the half plus 7 age gap rule. Oh well it's the Best relationship I have ever had. Both over the age of 18 of course! Age is just a number. 19 and 24 is fine, quite normal I should imagine.

My friend has a rule that she would never date someone that is young enough to have ever been in one of her classes. (She's a teacher, secondary school)!

It's generally a matter of opinion provided its legal. Yes, I'd find someone in their twenties being with someone in their seventies odd. But who am I to decide for anyone other than me?
My OH is eight years younger. I've had a few jokes which I encourage. OH is more mature and calmer than me in many ways. The only negativity has been my brother saying that OH was likely to run off with a younger woman. Brother is with older woman so he must be massively projecting as well as being hypocrite.

My friend is 33 and she's just got engaged to her long term boyfriend who is 59.

I think you have to be careful that someone isn't after a trophy or unhealthy control, but once you've looked at the situation clear-eyed and decided it's ok, then go for it =)

My first real bf was 12 years older than me, 2nd was same age and husband is 12 years younger ... though it took a long time before I'd consider romance with him becuase of the age gap.

The experience gap can be a problem and the energy levels. But very far from surmountable.

I think as long as the younger one is over 18 (and they didn't meet and form a strong bond when the younger one was a child) then any age gap is fine, within about 20 years. Beyond that and you're looking at different generations. There's 15 years between couples we know and it's fine, as they were in their 20s and 30s when they met.

I wonder whether the digital age has widened the gap between current teenagers and twentysomethings in their view of each other.

13 years here and it's no problem whatsoever

Doesn't it depend on the individual?For eg. Age gap btwn me & STBXH is 20 yrs. That used to raise quite a few eyebrows & lots of people assumed I was his daughter.
But we split up because he was an abusive little shit (& more).
5 yrs is nowt x

I don't think age gaps matter once both people involved are past a certain age. For example, a 40 and a 50 year old is no big deal. But obviously a 10 and 20 year old is illegal at best.

Personally I think once both people involved are past 25 then it's fine.

I think mid twenties is important though, as then both people involved have a decent amount of life experience, and are generally mature enough. I wouldn't, for example, have much respect for a thirty year old man dating someone in their teens.

I have a friend who is with someone 15 years older than her - she is 28 and he is in his forties. They seem like a good couple.

I do think, however, that significant age gaps can cause problems further down the line, but that's for the couple involved to worry about.

This is just my personal view though obviously.