Does the age difference matter?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Age differences have never been uncommon in relationships. Previously, this happened often, when girls were married off to older men because of their material we alth and ability to support a family. Now the popularity of such an "unequal" union is influenced by freedom of choice and many other factors. It is not uncommon that a woman, on the contrary, is older than a man. Let's consider in the article why this happens, why people choose those who are younger / older than them or who are the same age, the pros and cons of such unions, and the most important question - does the age difference matter?

Peers

This type of relationship is considered the most common. It is easiest to meet peers: at school or any other educational institution, often at work, among acquaintances and friends. Such unions have significant advantages:

• Partners understand each other better.
• There is often a lot to talk about, because peers are usually at the same life stages. For example, couples, both of whom are studying at a university, can discuss pressing matters of study, help each other, understandetc.
• There can be a feeling of how you "grow" together and develop spiritually with each year of the relationship.
• Easier to introduce your partner to your friends as they are usually the same age as well.
• Such relationships are ideal for partnership type unions.

But there are also disadvantages. In such unions, due to immaturity, a man and a woman can get bored with each other and disperse, not seeing a way out. At the same time, an older person who has already gone through a lot, including crises in relationships, can direct his soul mate in the right direction, understand how to act in a given situation, and cement relationships. Another minus is peers treat their love as an equal. This, of course, in most cases, is the advantage of this type of union, however, when equality is felt, then in the case of quarrels, often everyone believes that his point of view is the most correct. Whether such people will find a compromise or not depends on what kind of characters they have.

If the man is older

Such relationships are also not uncommon. Society perceives this very favorably if the age difference between a man and a woman is no more than 10-15 years. Such marriages can be very strong. Young girls are still inexperienced and free (unmarried), and men 10 years older already have life experience behind them, a stable job and independence from parents and friends, and they are also ready to start a family. For the female half of humanity, the choicean older partner has advantages. For example, you can start a family with them and not think about the need to "wait a little more" in order to save up money for this together, since the stronger sex is already able to support a family. Also, with such partners, many of the girls allow themselves to be "weaker", more inexperienced, since there is always someone who will support.

But men see the advantages of relationships with younger ladies, because they seem to them not yet bothered by life, they have a sparkle in their eyes and, of course, youth and beauty. Even with a small age difference, the gentlemen of such women are perceived as someone who is younger, and therefore he althier. Of course, this does not mean that peers are worse, rather the opposite. However, with younger girls, to be frank, it is easier, even if there is no job, property, etc., because they still perceive older men as more experienced.

Pros of such marriages:

• Convenience by age, because girls want to start a family early and are already ready, while their peers at this time do not think about it yet, and those who are older have already “worked up” and are eager to settle down.
• Sometimes it's easier to compromise, because partners often give in and accept the point of view of their soul mate.
• Another plus arising from the previous paragraph is that many men think that it is easier to "blind" a girl younger than them to look like himself.

Cons:

• However, in cases where the other half is much older than the woman (morethan 20 years), then there is almost a clash of two different generations. It is already more difficult to understand each other, there may be different interests.
• A man may not take a girl's opinion seriously.
• Sometimes it's not love, but commercialism. Worth considering.
• If intimate components of a relationship are important to you, then, unfortunately, the peak of female sexual activity falls on 30 years, but male power begins to fade after a certain age.
• It is worth considering that a man may want to arouse the envy of his friends by boasting about his young wife. The age difference in this case is his choice to be we althy in the eyes of society. But such cases are rare.

Woman older than man

Age difference when a guy is younger is also not uncommon these days. Older women seem more experienced, they already know what they want from life and relationships, they are often more interesting due to their broader outlook, they already have a job and ground under their feet. They are also very well versed in the male half of humanity and understand them.

Every man, even a man who has achieved a lot, sometimes wants to be infantile in a relationship, and such unions are very favorable for this. The plus is that the intimate side of the relationship in such cases is very bright: the lady is experienced and already more sexually liberated. There are, of course, disadvantages as well. If the age difference is large, then society can begin to put pressure on them, but this rarely happens. Often such pressure is a signal of not what is needed.to end the relationship, but the fact that it is necessary to change the circle of friends, because if the relationship is good and everything suits you, then you should not be led by the opinion of your friends.

Perfect age difference

There has been a lot of research on relationships. Many psychologists say: the ideal age difference between partners is when a man is 3-7 years older than a woman. It is believed that girls mature morally earlier than men, especially in terms of desire and readiness to start a family. And men settle down a little later, and also gain independence and stability in work, and this is also enough to start a serious relationship.

Big age difference

Why do people enter into relationships with those who are 20-30 or more years older/younger than them? Nobody can answer for sure. Probably, these are the cases when all ages are submissive to love. But such couples should follow some recommendations in order to save the relationship:

• Ignore criticism if the relationship suits both and there is love.
• Those who are much older should never tell their younger half that he is inexperienced and insolvent. And those who, on the contrary, are younger, are not advised to talk about their partner that he is old. It is better not to pay attention to age and age-related changes at all, since sooner or later it will happen to everyone.
• Relationships should be fun, not an inferiority complex.
• Strive for maximum mutual understanding, accept the interests of the partner, given that theycan vary greatly.

Factors influencing choice

Many psychologists identify reasons why people fall in love with people who are not equal to them. First, for many, the family may unconsciously be the prototype of an ideal relationship. If the parents had a marriage in which there was a large age difference, then it is likely that the children will unconsciously want to realize just such a model. Secondly, relationships in a person’s family and his childhood also influence. For example, if a daughter grew up without a father, or he was, but did not give her due attention, then she will probably want a father-daughter relationship to make up for it with an older man.

Bright examples

Among star or just famous couples, there is often a difference in age.

• For example, the famous actor Al Pacino is 40 years older than his beloved Lucila Sola.
• Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford are a famous couple. Meanwhile, they are separated by as much as 23 years.
• Catherine Zeta-Jones is 25 years younger than Michael Douglas.
• But Hugh Jackman and Deborah Lee Furness are a good example of a long and lasting relationship. Although Debi is 13 years older than him, they look great together and love each other.

Instead of a conclusion

So does age difference really matter? Perhaps not, if both people love each other and are happy together. And there can always be pluses and minuses, regardless of how much the partner is younger or older. Couples withage difference can be very happy. Here, the character of people is more likely than the numbers in the passport.