Does Age Matter? Research in Dating Between Decades

Does age matter when dating? I have dated over multiple decades myself, and I must say, the experience can be quite enriching. Keep an open mind and contribute to the conversation, and you will find out things which you never would have, otherwise.

About a century ago, it was customary for middle-aged to elderly gentlemen to still marry women who were in their twenties. Since then, people have cut down the age gap and made that method customary. Now people in high school don't date someone who is more than two years their senior or junior. If a woman is seven years younger than a man, people notice it. If a man is more than ten years her senior, eyebrows are seriously raised.

However, in recent years, people have been stretching the age boundary again. And not just with older men! Now, the women are dating and marrying men ten years or more their junior. This is an interesting concept. Will such a relationship last?

Studies show that Yes, indeed, the relationships have been documented as lasting. If two people are emotionally healthy enough, they can form a bond which age cannot break. I once knew a 34-yr-old guy who I, being 21 at the time, had once dated for four months. His next girlfriend? A 68-yr-old woman! She was healthy, in fine physical condition, goodlooking and very charming. Turns out, her last three husbands had all been over 14 years her junior. She prefers younger men, and apparently, they prefer her, too!

Even celebrities, such as Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, are breaking the age barrier. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher certainly made quite a stir. The term "cougar" is now well known and often used. Older women with younger men have been accepted by the media, by the country folk and by average city dwellers. Their practices have been adopted, and now women are looking at more widespread options within the field of dating. Often, younger men prefer older women because of the woman's ability to hold down a decent conversation and the fact that she's comfortable in her own skin.

No matter which way you swing it, relationships which are decades apart are being sustained and supported by both parties. It's not necessarily a matter of "daddy issues" or money when a younger woman dates a much older man. Sometimes, their minds click, their bodies click, and they make it work. Keep an open mind when examining the two people at the next table over. They might have a lasting relationship, and you could pick up a few pointers from them!

Sources:

http://www.luvcube.com/find-love/older-men-younger-women.htm

http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/old-men-chasing-young-women-good-thing-14203.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/fashion/15women.html