5 Common Things People Worry About When Dating With An Age Gap
Employers aren’t supposed to discriminate your age when you are nervously twiddling your thumbs in your new job interview, so why should we discriminate age when it comes to relationships?
Employers aren’t supposed to discriminate your age when you are nervously twiddling your thumbs in your new job interview, so why should we discriminate age when it comes to relationships? Age is just a number, and when it comes to your significant other, as long as you aren’t breaking any laws (a.k.a. you are both legal), there are more important things to worry about.
1. Aging appearance
It seems that the laws of gravity really assert themselves in the process of aging, but if you really care about your significant other, the significant sagging of their body parts shouldn’t worry you. If there is a large age gap between you and your S.O. you may find yourself questioning what’s going to happen way down the line when you are 50-years-old and they are 70. Yes, you obviously both will look very different, but wrinkles and saggy skin aside, you both are still the same people you were years ago just more mature. Appearance is just one factor of all relationships, and while yes most people admit appearance matters to them, what’s left when you take away a person’s appearance is their personality. So don’t worry so much about what age looks like. Age is just the amount of years we’ve been in this lifetime. Whether you are 22 or 32, don’t let a number scare you away from someone who could potentially make you very happy.
2. Telling the parents
Telling your parents you are dating someone significantly younger or older than you is a bit like watching a horror film. You know something bad is going to happen you just don’t know exactly when and to whom. It can be extremely nerve wrecking to tell your parents about the large age gap between you and the person you are dating, but you can’t keep it a secret forever. Once you get it out of the way it will be a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders. The longer you keep it a secret the more reasons they have to be mad at you for it. Just tell them. If they don’t approve, you can decide what steps to take next, but remember that the only people who know your relationship inside and out are you and your S.O. Sometimes disapproval is only initial, and it takes a little time for people to be more accepting.
3. Meeting the parents
Telling and meeting the parents are two separate worries when the number of years you have been on this earth is not mutual between you and your S.O. Meeting parents is stressful enough, and the large age gap makes things a little more complicated. You probably already expect all parents’ disapproval, but don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions. Parents don’t have to be as scary as we make them out to be, and we can’t control whether or not other people like us. All you can control is how you act, and in this case there should be no acting at all. Be yourself just the way you are because that is the best that you can do. If they can’t get past your age difference, it is ultimately their problem and not yours.
4. Friends or foes
As with any relationship, another large milestone is meeting your S.O.’s friends. They most likely already know your age because it is probably the first thing your S.O. told them about you. Yes, his or her friends will have preconceived ideas about you because of your age. If you are in your early 20’s they will assume you love to party and only read Cosmo, but don’t let their assumptions phase you. You know who you are and what you like drinks and books included. Again, just be yourself because that is all that you can do. The age difference might freak your friends out at first, but if they truly care about you, eventually they will get over it.
5. We can’t help who we love
People are going to love who they love, and whatever color, sex, or age they may be, who are we to judge? Yes, there are complications that arise when there are large age differences between couples, but if they can make it work then more power to them. 
