Age Difference for dating?

Im_NotPerfect
Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
edited December 18 in Chit-Chat
A post on the booty call thread got me thinking about this...what is your maximum age difference for dating?

My husband and I are 8 years apart (currently 9 since he just turned 43 and I'll be 35 in a month and a half).

I was 22 and he was 30 when we started dating.

Edited to add: We've never really noticed the age difference (unless our friends and his family teased him about robbing the cradle). But we both have the same pop culture references from the 80's. I do tease him once in a while about when he was in HS, I was still in elementry school! HA! I guess I've always just been more mature for my age because I'd NEVER dated guys my own age (couldn't stand them) and my dad always told me that when I settled down it would be with an older guy.
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Replies

  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    My fiance's 25 years my senior. I'm 21 (22 in July) and he's 47.
  • CeliCasi
    CeliCasi Posts: 12 Member
    My boyfriend and I have a 17yr difference between us.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    My boyfriend is 42 and I'm 53 :bigsmile: We've been dating for 4 years :love:
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    My fiance's 25 years my senior. I'm 21 (22 in July) and he's 47.

    Whoa! Really? How does that works with friends? What did the families have to say about it? Just curious. The age thing freaks me out. I thought I was more open minded, but recently, when faced with it, realized that anymore than maybe ten years might be too much.
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
    My boyfriend is 23 and I'm 19.

    I think as you get older the age gap can widen. I don't think there should be a limit. However, I'd avoid dating someone significantly older than me because I dont want to die years before them lol.
  • Charismasme2
    Charismasme2 Posts: 118 Member
    That's an interesting question as three years ago I found myself single after 25yrs of marriage, and entering the dating scene. Because I have kids that are in their 20's and 30's, I couldn't date men that were in their age brackets. One thing I wouldn't have anything in common on a daily basis with them, so I decided that three years younger or 5yrs older than me was acceptable for me. I'll turn 50 in Nov.
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,670 Member
    10 years is probably my max. I come from a long line of courgars, though, so who knows. My grandma is 20 years older than my step-grandpa and my mom is 26 years older than her boyfriend.

    men don't live long enough, my great-grandma used to say. "they're like delicate flowers, not long for this earth. only us weeds stick around." she outlived two husbands.
  • Ant_M76
    Ant_M76 Posts: 534 Member
    There's a formula, for guys...

    Half of his age + 7 = minimum age of the girl he can date ;-)

    It's a little more tricky to determine the minimum age guy, a girl can date...
  • Foxypoo61287
    Foxypoo61287 Posts: 638 Member
    I say 10 years. My sister..my 17 yr old sister ( 18 in 3 weeks) is dating a guy who is 29... I disapprove of that because she hasn't lived yet. I would not approve of my daughter dating someone at that age that much older. If she was in her 20's yea, I could approve. But not 17.
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    A post on the booty call thread got me thinking about this...what is your maximum age difference for dating?

    My husband and I are 8 years apart (currently 9 since he just turned 43 and I'll be 35 in a month and a half).

    I was 22 and he was 30 when we started dating. Yes...he was considered a God at our workplace when people found out! :)

    Half the age of the older person + 7 is the rule.

    So you guys just fitted into it when you met...
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    My fiance's 25 years my senior. I'm 21 (22 in July) and he's 47.

    Whoa! Really? How does that works with friends? What did the families have to say about it? Just curious. The age thing freaks me out. I thought I was more open minded, but recently, when faced with it, realized that anymore than maybe ten years might be too much.

    My friends and have always known I wasn't into the "norm" so they weren't really surprised. He's not your typical 47 year old though, he's a lot of fun, and my friends love him. The family on the other hand... I lied a few times about his age until they finally just flat out said, "How old is he REALLY?" After a few times my parents no longer cared, even though he's 2 years OLDER than they are. lol. And his family was cool with it as he's never dated girls his age since he was out of his 20s.
  • rhichi
    rhichi Posts: 133
    I follow the "Divide by 2 and add 7" rule. So for my age, 22, the youngest I could date without feeling sketchy is 18 (22/2 = 11 + 7 =18). To find the oldest, do the opposite (22-7 = 15*2 = 30). It's an interesting formula for sure and I have quite a few friends who skirt the line but are plenty happy. Personally, I'm 6 months older than my fiance, which I believe is about how much older his mom is than his dad.
  • Sox90716
    Sox90716 Posts: 976 Member
    My wife is 31, I'm 46.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    I've dated someone 15 years older than me, 8-9 years and it seemed to work fine, but in the end it was personality differences that really caused the collapse of those relationships. My current boyfriend is about 3 years older than me and I think it's a really good gap - we both want the same things and are in the same place in our lives.
  • ChristiH4000
    ChristiH4000 Posts: 531 Member
    men don't live long enough, my great-grandma used to say. "they're like delicate flowers, not long for this earth. only us weeds stick around." she outlived two husbands.

    That's some real wisdom. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    My boyfriend of a year and a half is 7 years older than me (I'm 25, he's 32). I don't really care or notice. I actually prefer it, I wasn't really hitting it off with guys closer to my age, I'm somewhat mature for a 25 year old (steady job, I own a condo, I don't party). I don't know if I'd go much older though. I like that he's still somewhat in my generation and we don't look that far apart in age.
  • Pengi81
    Pengi81 Posts: 336 Member
    There's only a year between me and the missus but it's a year that's kept us together for 4.5 years.

    Previous relationships have been with older women and they didn't work out, so looks like I should've been the oldest in the relationship and not the other way round.

    Biggest age gap I've had was when I was 22 and seeing a lady who was 40!
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    At 45, I wouldn't want to go too many years backwards...maybe 5, maximum. I probably wouldn't want to go more then 10 years older.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    There's a formula, for guys...

    Half of his age + 7 = minimum age of the girl he can date ;-)

    It's a little more tricky to determine the minimum age guy, a girl can date...

    This is what I've heard...
  • AmberJslimsAWAY
    AmberJslimsAWAY Posts: 2,339 Member
    10 years older is my limit. I'm 25
  • Jennjenn1974
    Jennjenn1974 Posts: 350 Member
    I used to have the "10 year rule"

    10 years older
    10 years younger

    This should only apply if you are over the age of 30, however :wink:
  • christyd4
    christyd4 Posts: 191
    I am 38 and my boyfriend will be 53 in a couple of days. With mine he doesn't look nor act like a 53 year old. We enoy the same music and same basic beliefs so it works out. His son and my son are only 2 years apart so that helps. He talks about the age difference more than I do, I frankly forget at times he is 15 years older than me
  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
    i'll be 29 in two weeks. he's 43. :)
  • NYCDutchess
    NYCDutchess Posts: 622 Member
    I really don't think it matters...I say date whom ever you want. Seriously, if you like them enough...you must have enough in common. Age is a number, go with how you feel!!!
  • GSCPostBaby
    GSCPostBaby Posts: 111 Member
    I'm 27 and mine is 36 . . . . no problems there.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    My fiance's 25 years my senior. I'm 21 (22 in July) and he's 47.

    Whoa! Really? How does that works with friends? What did the families have to say about it? Just curious. The age thing freaks me out. I thought I was more open minded, but recently, when faced with it, realized that anymore than maybe ten years might be too much.

    I always thought I was too. I had dreamed of marrying George Clooney (21ish years older than me, I think) since I was 12. But, then I married my husband, who is only 4 years older and there are significant differences in our pop culture references with just a few years difference. And it definitely gets weird when we talk about when he was in high school, I was in 6th grade, etc. Since that gets awkward at times, I definitely would not be comfortable with someone who was an adult when I was born. Sure, it's different once both people are adults, but it still seems creepy.
  • Atarahh
    Atarahh Posts: 485 Member
    Love older men!
  • byroman
    byroman Posts: 75 Member
    Good rule of thumb: "half your age plus seven"
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    My fiance's 25 years my senior. I'm 21 (22 in July) and he's 47.

    Whoa! Really? How does that works with friends? What did the families have to say about it? Just curious. The age thing freaks me out. I thought I was more open minded, but recently, when faced with it, realized that anymore than maybe ten years might be too much.

    I always thought I was too. I had dreamed of marrying George Clooney (21ish years older than me, I think) since I was 12. But, then I married my husband, who is only 4 years older and there are significant differences in our pop culture references with just a few years difference. And it definitely gets weird when we talk about when he was in high school, I was in 6th grade, etc. Since that gets awkward at times, I definitely would not be comfortable with someone who was an adult when I was born. Sure, it's different once both people are adults, but it still seems creepy.

    And you are totally allowed to have your own opinion. But I really don't care what others have to say about it. I mean, I love him, he loves me and that's all I could ask for.
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 396 Member
    I'm in my early 20s (currently 24) and have mostly dated men in their late 20s to early 30s, but there have been a couple of late 30s in there. Generally the late twenties seem to work best for me, but in a completely ridiculous twist I am seeing someone who is four years younger than me. I give this a lot more thought, being the older partner, than in any of the other arrangements.
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