i'm 37 how young of a guy is too young?

Question

i have friends who say age is just a ## and others think it depends on their maturity. still others say i'm a cradle robber or a guys too old. help!!!

Answer 1

My own experience is that relationships with people less than 75% or more than 150% of your age might be problematic. When I was with a woman half my age (I was 40, she was 20), it was basically friends-with-benefits, but we really didn't have enough in common to manage the friendship and without it, the "benefits" weren't worth it.

I expect for most people, the upper end would probably be closer to 133%.

For 37, that would mean be cautious with people less than 28 and more than 49.

Answer 2

Age is definitely NOT just a number....NO WAY! I'll agree with that statment when a person is 25 and 30, or if they're 30 and dating a 40 yr old. That's a differen't maturity level and at that point I do agree that age is just a number. However when you mix an 18 yr old with a 30 year old or something like that, there is a big difference. Just date that person for a few months and tell me that the maturity level isn't just a BIT different. I remember when I was 21, I dated a guy who was 32 and OMG, yes there was a difference. He was more settled and knew what he wanted out of life, and I was still sort of "feeling" the world out. So I'd say if you're 37, steer clear of anyone below 25, possibly even kick it up to someone who is closer to 30.

Answer 3

What difference does it make? If you feel like you need justification for your relationship then you have a problem with it. If you didn't feel funny about the situation you wouldn't be looking to others to make you feel better about it.

If you're not already married and raising a family, you're probably just out for kicks anyway. At 37, you are past the safe zone for childbirth (not an opinion here, over thirty is considered an "at risk" pregnancy), and quickly approaching the upper limit for the normal first marriage age range. I'm guessing you're either never married or once-divorced. I hope you don't have kids, because any woman asking how young is too young to date will only have greater issues with her children as they get older.

If you don't think it's a problem, then it isn't. However, you have to take into consideration that a certain amount of age difference will lead to a dead end relationship. If you are dating a guy 10 years younger (for example), that would put him at 27. In 3 - 5 years he'll start to think about kids, if he has the urge to ever have children. At about 30, men start to consider their life, their status, and their legacy. They start thinking about kids. Not all men, mind you, but most. At the point that he is ready to have a family, you will be over 40. I don't mean to be mean here, but honestly, what man wants to be caring for his 60+ year old wife and supporting a 20 year old college student at the same time? Again, not trying to be mean, just honest.

I think, if you really want a relationship that will last, and one that you may find some common ground in, you should stick to 35+ year old men. Their tastes are more developed and they are more cultured. The only think you could want from a 20-something guy is sex, they don't have much else to offer. If that's all you want, and you're attractive, I have no doubt you'll find willing partners. But if you want something more, you need to stick to a closer age range.

Answer 4

Your problem is you're putting to much of your business in the hands of your friends. Perhaps they're wishing they were you and could date whomever they wanted. You should let the age factor be up to you and the person you're dating. Age is just a number and it should be based on the maturity of the people involved. However if you're dating someone that's not of legal age you can be considered a cradle robber and end up in jail. As long as everyone involved is of legal consenting age tell your friends you understand their concern but the choice is yours to make and if they were real friends they be there for you no matter what choice you make.

Answer 5

33 is too young. Think of when you were a senior in high school, you don't want to be with a man who was a freshman that same year or younger.... But more importantly, how old is too old? If you are a 37 year old woman, you'll feel like rounding up to the next 5 year mark and only look at men up to age 40 , but because of that narrow vision, you'll miss out on a lot of nice men.....On the surface (and after using other criteria other than age ) you should be open to meeting men up to age 50....yes I said 50.

Answer 6

I was dating a guy 8 years younger when I was 36 and frankly he drove me nutty. The other guy was younger than that but much more mature so I enjoyed his company. So I would say don't look under 25, and it will depend on how mature they are. On the opposite end I would say don't date anyone more than 10 years older. When they hit their late 40's things change. Either way, have fun!

Answer 7

There's no real answer to this question, of course, but you might feel uncomfortable with someone whose life experience and intellect doesn't match up to yours. That's what it comes down to, really.

Can you hold a conversation with him? Would you feel comfortable taking him out with your friends? Is he emotionally mature enough to make you happy and handle this relationship like a man? If so, well, who cares how old he is?

From personal experience, I can say that guys tend to mature by leaps and bounds as they enter their late 20s and especially their early 30s. But some progress early, and it's not that unusual to find a guy in his early 20s who can hold court with the likes of a mature, beautiful, intelligent 37-year-old woman.

:)

Answer 8

I have my own personal rule of thumb to stay within ten years of my own age. I have dated younger but both men and women generally don't reach full maturity until their mid-late twenties (see link for supporting research). If age is just a number and you don't care about maturity why care what anyone else thinks?

Answer 9

too young would be any guy below 18...other than that you are the one who decides who is too young for you...some guys in their 30s will not be mature enough for you and some guys in their 20s might be the right fit for you...I guess you should not pay too much attention to age and you will find someone who is good for you regardless of age

Answer 10

Cougar, If you are simply looking for a good time and aren't looking for someone to build a commitment with, then you could make a guy happy as early as his 18th birthday. Women with experience are fun to wide eyed younger men. As long as the relationship stays in the fun zone, all is good, but if you aren't comfortable with losing the guy to a younger lady on the side or later in life, then you should re-think your plan and stick with the older gentlemen. Enjoy!