Guys, how young is too young in terms of dating?

Expialidojess

Personally, I wouldn't want to date someone that young. My brother is almost 17 and I think he and his friends are incredibly immature and annoying. Not that everyone is at that age, but I dont' think most teenagers are looking to play house with someone decently older than them.

Roadie2000

Oh hell no. I'm 35 and that would just be creepy. The lowest I'd go is maybe 25, and even they seem really young.

lemonadem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgUbJfruBdY

hikezilla

My grand daughters are 7, 5, and 3

If I am still alive they will not be date ready until they are 50. Only then can they double date, with a chaperone.

JulieH3art

I think 18 is a little young for a 30 year old...

I know that people mature differently, and everyone is different, but when you are 18 there is just so much you don't yet know about yourself. You haven't seen that much, yet. In psychiatry we are taught that a person's personality is not fixated until 25 years old (on average), and I really think there's a lot of truth to that. Maybe someone will reach that point at 22, maybe some will at 28, but at 18? Doubtful.

You also shouldn't exclude guys your own age because you see yourself as so much more mature than they are. Some of them might surprise you, and actually, I think THAT is a little judgmental.

10KEyes

Well it isn't a concern for me, I am happily married. However, when I was dating, I found that age could be a factor as well as other things. First, age is really an initial indicator of maturity (in life). There are many things that for me when I was dating were loosely tied with age that I would consider as being age related and reasons to discriminate based on age.

1. Being divorced (as I was). This was important since it means we have already been down that road and marriage wasn't this sort of fairy tale idea, but a reality and we both would have learned some lessons regarding teamwork.

2. Having kids. This was important to me because I have a kid and children change your life. You go from you being the center of your own universe to your child being the center of your universe. Priorities change and without that annealing process of life, there will be differences in fundamental ideals.

3. Living on their own. Important.

There were few other things, but largely all the things above happen over the course of years and it is the process of living it that makes people more compatible.

So this is why age would matter to me, but age alone is certainly not the deciding factor.

foxxybrown

You do look a lot older than your age but don't get caught up with those old men! They don't see you as you think they do! I don't care how intelligent or mature you think you are, you really aren't in comparison.

My bad, this came out wrong. I wasn't saying that you don't compare. I'm saying, most 18 yr olds don't compare in maturity and experience to those in their 30s. I have nieces 19 and 18 so I know firsthand!

docdrd

There is a reason that "rules" like half your age plus 7 exist. It's because they work. I would give yourself a bit of leeway and be willing to date guys who are 24, but no older (right now). The issue is life experience. They have likely been through college and their brains are more fully developed (this is not an insult, just scientific fact that our brains continue to develop until we are in our 20's). So yes, you can date someone older, but it is likely to end badly. You are much better off staying in your range. Good luck!

Laura_Suzie

Wow, there are a lot of generalizations in this thread. Not all 18 year olds are vapid and only want to party, listen to Justin Bieber, and talk about Twilight. I've always been very goal oriented and have high standards. I couldn't care less about any of that stereotypical teenager crap. I DO agree with the people saying that it depends on the person though.

mznisaelaine

When I was 18 I was not even thinking I would ever date someone pass like 22/23 lol.. Now at 22, I am ok with dating someone even a little pass 30 (maybe lol).... I dont know why but I like guys around 24 and up

dlwyatt82

Assuming I were single, I probably wouldn't go there (I'm 31). I can't say I'd totally rule out the possibility, though, particularly if it were just a casual relationship for a while. I just have a hard time picturing building something more lasting with someone who hasn't really had time to go out and experience life away from school for a few years. Go nuts and be young for a while, there will be plenty of time to settle down with boring IT guys later on!

crazytreelady

I think age is usually irrelevant (when you are 18+).... As long as you're not still partying every night and he or she is in ADULT diapers..

Personally, I don't think I would date a 30yr old man and I am 20, but like I said, you never know.

lickmybaconcakes

Tonight, I was watching New Girl (one of my favorite shows) and one of the characters (who is like early 30s) freaked out when he found out the girl he was dating was only 18. This got me thinking because I'm 18 (though people always tell me I look a lot older) and the guys I usually am attracted to are mid 20s to early 30s.

So guys, Would you date a girl who's 18? How young is too young for you? Would it depend on the girl? Discuss.

Well the age doesn't really matter as long we're good togethor (but it's generally easier closer to my age)
My ex was 25 so that's pretty much the same age as me.

_the_feniks_

If there is grass on the field, play ball. Or, if you are really twisted, old enough to sit at the table... old enough to eat.

jkaupanger

I'm 15 years older than my BF. We met when he was 19, didn't start dating until he was 21. I do love him, more than life itself, but I can honestly say that I will NEVER date anyone that young again. All is fine now - been together 11 years this last January, but there were a few years there that I didn't think we'd make it.

ActiveGuy81

It just would depend on their maturity level and if we have the same interests.

Flippiefloppies

"If she's got a basket on her bicycle, she's too young for you BRO."

Farfourah

"If she's got a basket on her bicycle, she's too young for you BRO."

If her shoes light up while she walks, she's too young for you bro.

Flippiefloppies

"If she's got a basket on her bicycle, she's too young for you BRO."

If her shoes light up while she walks, she's too young for you bro.

"If she's still wearing days of the week underwear she is too young for you Bro."

Farfourah

"If she's got a basket on her bicycle, she's too young for you BRO."

If her shoes light up while she walks, she's too young for you bro.

"If she's still wearing days of the week underwear she is too young for you Bro."

Bahahahahahaha

"If her tattoo comes off in the shower, she's too young for you bro."

Espressocycle

Meh, on one hand I can't imagine dating someone under 25. On the other hand, your average 18-year-old guy is a doofus with an outsized libido.

JanetLM73

I'm 38, my husband is 46. If I was not married I would not date anyone younger then 35.

Nikkei24

I think it would be hard and weird for even a guy who is like 23 or odler to date a girl who is 18. I say this becasue if you wanna go out with ur friend your age to a bar or a club or a casino she can't even go. It would depend on maturity and all kinds of things like that. I dated older guys when I was 18-19 and now that i'm 24 I see why people warned me. I would stick to someone close in my age range and someone at the same point in life. Not someone who acts my age but is 10 years older.

mummma

No chance.

I know a lot of people will say age is just a number, but when you are talking say me at 28, dating an 18 yr old its different stages of life. Not so much an issue say if you were 40 dating a 56 yr old. You are midlife, done the partying, may have been mairried/had kids moved out of home.

Im looking for someone I can do fun stuff with but also look to settling down into something much more solid than I will ever get out of someone who has just left high school in the last couple of years.

After my experiences, everyones will be different, I probably wouldnt date anyone younger than 22-24. Thats just me though :glasses:

i agree with the stage of life thing.....

im 24.. nearly 25. all of my friends from school live with their parents, have jobs in the city, go on holidays several times a year and get wasted... drive expensive cars that most of their wages go on..... or go out 5/6/7 nights a week.

but im 24, with 3 kids..... a house, 2 businesses.... bills... responsibility.......

so if i go for a man who is 10 years older.... its coz i dont wanna babysit someones 24 year old son! i want a man whos at the same stage of life as me. age is just a number.

life and experience build the person you are attracted to. x

SmartAlec03211988

I'm kinda getting to know this guy who is 39 - 15 years older than me. I think that's probably my limit.

Brandicaloriecountess

My bf is 5 years older than me. I think that is a good age gap. We fit well together.

18, no way he would be closer to my son's age than mine. So um creepy IMO

silvergurl518

I don't think a 12-year age difference is a big deal, generally speaking. But your respective stages in life are important to consider. It's an entirely different thing for a 40-year-old to date a 28-year-old than for a 30-year-old to date an 18-year-old.

There are always exceptions, but for the most part, no matter how mature you think you are at 18, you do not know enough about life to have a successful relationship with a 30-year-old man.

i agree. it's all about stages in life. my man is 14 years older than me. i had dated someone 21 years older before and i've dated 5 years younger too. my happy medium then became someone 5ish years older. but then i met my guy....needless to say i'm an older soul and he's a younger soul and we're at the same place in life (me = 29 next month; him = 43). HAPPY AS CLAMS. but timing is everything. 5 years ago our lives would have been vastly different.

adamb83

For casual dating, whatever is the legal age of consent.

But I don't think that I could build a serious relationship with someone who is 10 or so years younger than I am... unless they are super mature.

I went through a whole lot of changes in my early 20s (college years), so I can't imagine "settling down" with an 18 year old who has yet to experience any of that.

fteale

A few of my friends dated men in their 30s when we were 18-20. I thought they were completely insane. Younger guys are much better looking!

Now I am 34, I wouldn't want to be in a relationship with someone more than about 5 years older, or 2 years younger than me. Too weird.

lau444

I know people in their 30s who are extremely lazy and spoiled, and I also know people in their early 20s who are focused and emotionally mature, so it all depends on the person and how compatible you are. I, personally, can't be with a man under 22, but after that, I'm open.