Six things you should know before dating a younger man

For women, dating or marrying a younger man is generally frowned upon. Questions about compatibility are often thrown about making women wary of younger men. But should you want to throw caution to the wind and date a man more than five years your junior, here’s what you need to know.

Life experience

Since you have lived longer and been through much more than a younger guy, it means you have acquired bits of knowledge that younger women don’t have. Some younger men will appreciate this and look to you for advice and guidance.

An older man is more set in his ways and he will expect you to adjust accordingly. This is less likely to happen with a younger man. It will be easier to come to a compromise with him.

Commitment

While you may be looking for a man to settle down with and start a family, a younger man might have different priorities. He may be in school or just starting out at work and thus might not be ready to settle down.

It’s important to discuss what you’re looking for in the relationship early on so as to avoid nasty surprises later.

Dating experience

Having lived longer, you may have more life and dating experience than a younger man. This will influence how you both handle the different aspects of your relationship. He might not see the big deal in certain things while you find them extremely important. He might avoid any sort of conflict or not know how to handle jealousy.

On the other hand, his experiences may mean he has less baggage making it easier for you.

Sense of adventure

Younger men compared to older men have a higher sense of adventure. Their idea of a date could be doing something physically involving. An older man is likely to prefer sit-down dates that move at a slower pace.

If you’re looking to try out new things, a younger man is your best bet. Young men are more open-minded making it easier for them to accept you and your views, plans and ideas than it would be for an older man.

Career differences

Many a times, relationships come under strain because of money and position. A younger man may be in a different place career-wise making it difficult on both of you. Resentment builds when one partner is so obviously doing better than the other.

Address these differences before they become an issue.

You will feel younger

A younger man will want to do ‘young people things’. His view of life and the world is still youthful. He might not react to situations with the same seriousness that you do. While this might be a turn-off for some women, it can be a good time for you to remember to enjoy life in spite of the many challenges that you could be facing.