Playing catch up with a spouse?

Question

I am 15 years younger than my husband (he's 37 and I'm 22). We get along great and the only time we ever notice our age difference is when it comes to his life experience vs. my life experience.
We've been together for five years now and I've always known that this would be a problem. Compared to people my age, I'm pretty far ahead in life but in general I feel like I need to be playing catch up.
He's owned his own business for a decade now and I'm just starting my own. It's great to have someone with good experience there to help me but at the same time I find my self feeling frustrated because in nearly every aspect of our lives we are equals but when it comes to business and other odd and end things- I feel like an idiot!
I know I'm not dumb and there's nothing wrong with who I am and what I've achieved but every time that he truely knows better, I get so irritated.
I also know that he gets irritated sometimes becaue I don't know better. What do I do to catch up faster?

My Husband doesn't get irritated when I am better than him at things like finances, cooking, fixing stuff around the house, etc... Why does it bother both of us when I'm "behind"?

Answer 1

There is nothing you can do to catch up faster, Both of you just need to be patient and learn through your experiences.

Answer 2

Dont do anything. Be young. Im 23 and my boyfriend is 23 so in a way, I dont know where you are coming from. You already have a business startd and you have admitted your are farther ahead than most people your age. Leave it that way. Dont grow up to fast. Your husband loves you the way you are. Thats why he married you. Im not the kind to criticize about age difference and what not...I say if you found love, more power to you and I wish you the best of luck. So as for the age difference, enjoy it.
Take advantage of the fact that your husband is skilled in the business field and when he gets irritated with your lack of experience, just smile and remind him that you love him, and thank him for helping you. Im sure he understands and wants to help, he just may forget sometimes that it isn't easy in the begining, and that would be irritating, but you just gotta bare with it, stick to your guns and enjoy your youth!!!! good luck and congrats on your business and love!!!!

Answer 3

You should not be competing with your husband. It dont make sense. There is nothing to prove. You are in a very traditional position of husbands being older, presumably more worldwise and work experienced than wives. So you are not by any means retarded. The only explanation (to me) for this competition is that you do not seem to see both of you working in the same direction towards the same goal. Otherwise, your skills and experience should be complimentary. Which ever, your husbands skill, time, business etc. is yours to appropriate, if you know how to do so--and there is nothing to be guilty of, be ashamed about or feel retarded about.

Answer 4

Marry someone that is age appropriate. In the minds of his male peers your nothing but arm candy and he's a fool. The reason you don't notice the difference is he's a 37 year old with the maturity of a 22 so things seem great to you. But he still be the old fool and has no business boinking a 22 year old, period.

Answer 5

Time doesn't work that way...it is linear.
The only way you'll learn is just like when you were a baby...one step (and mistake) at a time.

You two might want to spend some away-time from work and find some common ground just to talk about your life together and your goals.
Find ways to intertwine the two goals...it almost sounds as if you guys are being competitive.
Try to be more of a team.

Answer 6

Tell him:

Honey, I apretiate your advice but I would rather learn by my own experience, If I feel that I need your expertise in the matter, I will definetly seek your help, but for now, I would like to do this on my own. Thank you so much for trying to help and for your input, but I believe that I'm perfectly capable of handling it.

Good luck

Answer 7

Life is not about competition, especially with your spouse. Respect yourself for what you need to learn and respect your husband for being there to teach you when he has already learned. Don't get irritable whenever he knows something that you don't. Maybe you should be more appreciative, then he would be more understanding.

Answer 8

You can't since it will only get wider as time goes by. It's something you decided was not important when dating him, and now it is. It's the way you wanted things to be so you should stop being unhappy about it now.

Answer 9

you cant play catch up - you learn and get wiser as you ripen in life goodness me be patient - its not a game and get over it of course he is going to know more he has been around longer....

Answer 10

You should not worry about trying to catch up with him... its not going to happen. He is older than you and that cannot be changed, and likewise his life experiences are more than your and that cannot be changed either.