22 y/o female dating 18 y/o male?

[Semicharmedkindalife]

Just that.
What are your thoughts on this?

I would be a little concerned whichever way round it was at this age. I think age gaps become less important when both people are really properly in the grown up world. Which, despite Mumsnet thinking, an 18 year old often isn’t.

As long as you connect, I can’t see it as an issue, though probably I would have felt a bit more put off when I was 22.

There’s 6.5 years between my dh and I. When we met he was 21 and I was just about to turn 28. I never had considered dating someone younger before and most guys I had dated before him were 3-10 years older than me. But we really connected with each other, he is kind and thoughtful and reliable, and we just went with it. He turned out to be much more mature than anyone else I’d ever been with and surprisingly he was as ready to settle down as I was. We were married when he was 24 and our first dc was born when he was 25. 10 years on, we’re still very happy and the age difference isn’t a big deal at all in our 30s.

I dated an 18/19 year old (can't remember) when I was around 22. No issue at all! I wasn't like I was looking to get married and have kids, we were both at uni. Was just fun.

What is the issue?

I wouldn't bat an eyelid.

I think it's fine, though a lot of 18 year old lads are still quite immature. That's probably why it's more likely to be the other way round. I am 30 and my DP is 27, but at 18 he was a different person.

I bet most people would have slight concerns if their still at school 18 year old was going out with someone 4 years older. However much they might pretend on here and in real life that they didn’t.

Don't understand what the problem is. When I was 18 I dated a 21.5 male. Best kisser I have ever met.

Whenever I've dated younger or similar age to myself, I've always found the guy is immature/ it is hard to find someone with similar goals at that time in life.

That being said I must be a massive granny as my partner is 13 years older than me and we're pretty well matched on maturity and interests

That would be my only concern, as the older party. It's hardly like they're 14 and 18

Are you the 22yo woman op? I can't imagine why anyone would think anything, unless you are a teacher and he is a sixth former.

For me it would depend on the circumstances. Is the 18 year old still in college/ sixth form? Is he mature for his age? Etc.

When I was 21 I remember getting chatting to a chap in a bar who I thought was about 20/22 turned out he was 18 and still in sixth form, lived at home. That put an end to anything happening as far as I was concerned. I'd been living on my own and working from 18 so felt a huge maturity difference just because of the circumstances.

Really? Given some of the age gaps out there, I just can't fathom how 4 years would get anyone in lather.

Two young adults of a similar age, could easily be at the same college/uni, no problem.

It's only 4 years

If he’s still in sixth form and she’s graduated I would think it was slightly odd (same if the sexes were reversed).

20 and 24 I’d have no problem with though.

Is there going to be a big reveal that he's a sixth former and she's an NQT?

i think there is a big difference between a still at school 18 year old boy, and a woman of 22 who is making her way in the world.
My niece is 20 and at university and the difference maturity wise between her and my son is huge-she is making her own way, paying her own bills, managing her own money, looking after herself independently.

An 18 year old and a 22 year old have different agendas.

How is this an issue? Eighteen year olds go to university and meet other student and date. They can easily be 18 and 22 with the older one doing a four year course, or having taken a gap year or two before starting.

The only possible exception is a power imbalance, such as if the 18 year old is still at school and the 22 year old works in education.

Why would that be an issue? A four year age gap for two adults is nothing

My first big relationship was with a 22 year old at the age of 18. Why should it be an 'issue' when it's an 18 year old male and a 22 year old female?

Ridiculous. It feeds into the assumption that men are children until the age of 45 when they suddenly and miraculously grow up.

It's fine. My dh is 4.5 years younger than me. Am I weird?

So Crunchtime will your 'boy' suddenly develop these skills when he goes off to university? What's the magic formula?

i would think it was icky if uit was an 18 year old sixth former with a 22 year old man. I am sorry but no matter what you say the power balance is different. It is not an equal relationship.

give it s a couple of years -so 20 and 24 i have no issue with that. Age gaps become much less important the older you get but at 18 it's still awkward.

I dated a lad of 20 when I was 23. It didn't work out he was far less mature.

It's not the age gap specifically that's the issue for me. It's that one of them is 18.

When I was 22, 18 year olds seemed like kids to me. Some were just starting their first year at uni which changes people, or applying for college places and first jobs.
Then again I had had a child at 19 so it was probably me just feeling much more mature/older than my years.