“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain
While age does not affect the romantic connection of a relationship or the spirit of a person, there are a number of other practical factors to consider.
Typically, people attract each other romantically and sexually to the same age bracket. And statistically, research has found the perfect age gap to be just a year. If you haven’t already, you can still find your perfect match on GoMarry.com.
However, there are exceptions to the rule, such as the legendary twenty one year relationship between Celine Dion and Rene Angelil (who was twenty-six years her senior). Here are a few things to consider before committing to a relationship with someone older or younger than you:
Is Age Really Just a Number?
Once you have “come of age” you are legally free to date or marry a person any number of years your senior. However, if you are pushing the past two decades, it is common for couples to be mistaken as parent and child. So you would need to navigate that awkward situation on a daily basis. Social stigmas and assumptions can be a constant source of stress. And it may contribute significantly toward the failure of a relationship.
While it is possible to find true love across the age spectrum. When it comes to a large age gap it begs the question of what each partner is really looking for. Some couples fall into the toxic category when they actually take on the roles of parent and child. So an equal level of maturity is necessary to prevent any unhealthy interactions, such as an imbalanced power dynamic. It is important that each partner shares the responsibilities and looks to the other with respect, without seeing them as either superior or inferior in any way.
Read: Win True Love
Practical Incompatibilities
Even if you have found love with a person of different age. There are a few practical factors to think about that can affect the success of a relationship. Experts say that as little as a five year age gap increases the chance of a breakup by 18 percent. With a ten year age gap, the figure jumps to 39 percent, and with a twenty year age gap, the odds of a breakup are increased by 95 percent.
Apart from the obvious concern that your partner might pass on two decades ahead of you. The reasons behind these statistics are rooted in various practical incompatibilities that come with an aging gap. These include different interests, earnings, and even education levels. It is common for people within different aging groups to be profoundly different as functioning individuals and this can give rise to conflict.
One of the most common problems that arise due to a large age gap is the question of children. Perhaps your partner already has children, and they are of a similar age to you. This gives rise to a set of circumstances that need to be carefully navigated in order to maintain a successful relationship. How do you and your partner’s children feel about the age gap? This question needs to be considered and dealt with accordingly.
