Who Benefits the Most from Age Gap Relationships?
Is it the well off 43-year-old bachelor or the stunning 23-year-old maiden?
Yes, a 20-year gap. It’s a stretch, but at the same time it’s not uncommon.
In my experience, I always felt like I was the one who benefited the most from being in a relationship with someone who was 8 years older than me.
I just felt like he knew how to take care of me and I didn’t have to worry about money problems because both of us had jobs. He was also mature and responsible enough to meet my emotional needs.
But if I look at someone else’s relationship where there is obviously a huge age gap, I almost always think that the woman is benefiting from it more because the guy was clearly well off. Meanwhile, I would assume that the young lady was yet to start out her professional career and earn a living.
I rarely think about other aspects of the relationship as to why a younger lady would be happy with an older man, and vice versa.
When I catch myself having these thoughts, I acknowledge the fact that they are common stereotypes.
When I started dating this guy who was much older than me, for starters I didn’t even know he was 8 years older. Also, I found myself attracted to him before finding out whether he had a stable job or not (he was a freelancer).
As we continued dating, we quickly got along. We had so many shared interests that conversations were hardly ever boring.
Now, you might be thinking that an 8-year gap is not a lot. And I agree. But there’s a huge gap nonetheless.
If we go back a few years, I would have still been in high school, while he may have already graduated from college. See what I mean?
Throughout our relationship, I never really thought about how he was benefiting from it.
Would he be showing off to his pals that he’s dating a beautiful, young lady?
Because of how well he took care of me and how much I felt valued and appreciated, it never occurred to me if there were any superficial factors at play when I decided to pursue a relationship with him, and vice versa.
All I could think about was how compatible we were as a couple, and how it just made sense to be together.
I imagine this might be the case for many other age gap relationships.
What Do Men Think?
In retrospect, it seems that the younger lady benefits the most because of her age alone. That’s just a fact.
An older man is prone to experiencing health-related issues as he ages. Another fact.
In terms of relationship compatibility, I don’t think I’m in a position to say who benefits the most. But based on what a lot of older men and younger women have to say, it looks like a close tie.
For instance, some guys shared their experiences on this Reddit thread in regards to how they felt about dating younger women.
Some common reasons they enjoyed this relationship setup are the following:
- It gives them an ego boost.
- Physical intimacy is much better.
- The women are not in a hurry to settle down.
While I know a lot of young women in their 20s who want to settle down, I strongly believe the first two highlight what many people think about when they see an older guy in a relationship with a younger lady.
So the question now is, what’s wrong with that?
People will always have something to say even without knowing both sides of the story, and life will go on no matter what people choose to do.
That’s probably why we’re seeing more age gap relationships nowadays compared to 20 or 30 years ago, when spotting an age gap couple was like seeing a dodo bird.
This is also what I admire about people who are in age gap relationships. They absolutely do not care about what other people have to say.
These couples know what they want, and they’re acknowledging it through their lifestyle and relationship choices. What right do other people have to say that their relationship is wrong or not ideal?
What Do Women Think?
Someone commented on another Reddit thread that we hear way more about younger women dating rich, older men simply for the money. And I agree, because that’s what I mostly hear about too.
I have female friends who have their own “sugar daddy,” and the older guy doesn’t even mind it. As far as I know, most of these men actually enjoy it.
We hear about women who are in this type of relationship because they like to be pampered. They like to be taken care of.
Men don’t mind it, so the relationship is mutual.
Unless there are certain conditions or boundaries that both the man and woman set up, the relationship can last for years. These couples can even end up getting married because of how comfortable they’ve grown with their relationship dynamic.
So what does this mean?
Preference.
It always comes down to preference.
This also means that not all age gap couples share the same reasons for being in this type of setup. Like me, I enjoyed being in a relationship with someone who was older. It felt even more fulfilling than my previous relationships where I dated men close to my age.
Conclusion
Men, regardless of age, will always be attracted to youth. One could say that it’s basic human nature.
The same goes for women. They will always be attracted to someone who can provide. Whether it be emotionally or financially.
If older men can meet this need, women go for it.
It’s reasonable to think that it’s unfair for older men since they basically need to have money to meet this particular need so that women will be attracted to them.
Then again, a lot of men work hard and save up for years for this very reason.
In this day and age, money definitely talks in so many aspects. It can be challenging to live a comfortable life without it.
Money is therefore used as a means to show that a man is capable of providing and reliable because of how he’s earned it.
In my opinion, age gap relationships might be the new ideal in terms of couples meeting each other’s needs.
Most of the time, it makes sense to those who have experienced it. Again, that’s their preference. We all have dating preferences regardless of beauty, age, nationality, etc.
How about you?
What do you think about age gap relationships?
And who do you think benefits the most from it?
