There are many reasons for this new outlook on dating with an age difference. Some of these reasons are sensible and reflect growth and improvement in our culture. The usual age of these prospective marriage partners was around fourteen, and society has decided that females need a few more years to mature and reach their potential before becoming a wife and a mother. Some of the reasons are not quite that sensible. There is in our society a feeling that any dating relationship in which the partners are not within months of each other’s age is somehow inappropriate.

That in a nutshell is the only major hurdle that needs to be overcome. There are going to be people out there who are going to be sure to let you know what they think of your May/December romance. If you are the type that tends to not get overly upset about the opinions of others, especially those that deal with your personal life, then you should have pretty smooth sailing. After all there is a reason why there is such a difference in the maturation rates of the different genders. If for millions of years it has been fairly normal for there to be an age difference in relationships, than it is a good bet it is something down there in our DNA causing that!

Ultimately, all of the other factors that determine success in a dating relationship are going to be in play here. Human beings are too diverse in just about everyway that counts to make any hard and fast rules about a proper age difference. The only rule that really counts is that “legal age" rule. Once you are sure you are dealing with a fellow adult, and you can handle some of your friends freaking out a bit, it is just going to be a matter of compatibility and attraction just like any other date. Perhaps a good approach for any couple to take when considering entering a dating relationship can be expressed with this question: How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you really were?"