Dating someone 10 years younger

Some people consider age-gap dating awkward and inappropriate. However, dating someone younger can be lots of fun! Think about the many adventurous moments, youthful energy, and unforgettable sex experiences you stand to gain from your younger partner.

In the book The Dark Side of Closed Relationships II, Justin J. Lehmiller and Christopher R. Agnew explored the statistics of age-gap relationships and found that about 8% of couples in Western countries have at least 10 years of age gap,  about 15% for male same-sex couples and 25% female same-sex couples.

So you see, many people already have successful age-gap relationships, and you can be one of those people, but first, you need to learn the dynamics of dating someone younger, starting with the pros and cons. 

5 Pros of Dating Someone Younger

There are so many misconceptions attached to dating age differences. However, there are a few pros to consider:

1. Contagious Drive and Ambition 

If you date a younger partner, you will find that they often have high enthusiasm and energy towards life, they are spontaneous and not afraid to try new things. If you stay around them for some time, you will be motivated to try new things and pursue big goals. 

2. Better Sex and Pleasure

Studies have shown that younger people, especially men, have higher sex drive due to their high testosterone levels. Younger partners tend to have more physical energy, and they can make sex more adventurous, spontaneous, and frequent. They know new pleasure ideas and are willing to explore new things in the bedroom. 

3. Little or Zero Relationship History

Since this person is way younger than you, they may not have dated before or might just have little relationship history, and this means they won’t have too much baggage from past hurt and failed relationships. You won’t have to deal with any insecurities they have developed from past toxic partners. This makes it easier to connect deeply with them and make them happy. 

4. Availability and Presence

There is a time in everybody’s life when they focus on relationships and want to do a lot of fun and exciting things because of little or no life commitments. This is usually at a younger age. For people seeking availability and presence, a younger person can be the best bet. Also, you can find younger matches with Flure app.

5. Fewer Burdens and Demands 

Burdens like ex-partners, kids, debts, mortgages, and pressure to build a family usually weigh people down and affect people’s ability to be wholeheartedly involved in relationships. Fortunately, young people do not have these issues or responsibilities, so they tend to be free, happier, and emotionally available in a relationship. 

Cons of Dating Someone Younger

Dating someone younger is not all rosy and easy, sometimes you may face some relationship challenges which you should prepare for so they don’t come as a surprise. Here are some of the downsides to age-gap relationships. 

• Immaturity 

Maturity is directly linked to age! Life experiences and growth carefully teach you maturity and discipline. A younger person may sometimes act childish and annoying, this is simply their nature. When you notice such behaviors do not get upset and bitter.

• Prone to Social Stigma

People often date their age group, peers, and status. You may be exposed to social angst and stigma when dating a younger person. Especially when you are a celebrity, you may be called a “Pedophile” and other nasty words. 

• External Influences From Family and Guardians

Having friends and family who care for you is actually a great thing, but when you start dating someone younger, they might turn hostile and vehemently disagree. Also, friends and peers of your younger partner can be hostile and this can lead to constant friction in your relationship. 

• Conflicting Interests and Life Choices

Both parties of the relationship are in different phases of your life due to the age difference, so their goals and interests may not align with yours, making it difficult for you to build a life together. 

How to Make an Age-gap Relationship Work

All relationships have great moments and challenging times as well; whether you date someone of the same age or someone way younger than you, you and your partner will still have to work on making it work. 

Remember that a relationship is between you and your partner, so no matter what other people think about dating age differences, your happiness comes first, and you can ensure that it is long-lasting by following these are the three proven ways to make an age gap relationship work.

1. Interpersonal and Professional Life Balancing

If you want to build a healthy age-gap relationship, then you must be able to balance your personal life and work life and still have time for your partner. Young people enjoy attention a lot, and if they do not have too many commitments, they may want to spend most of their time with you. So, find some time to plan different fun and intimate activities with them. Make sure you are spending time together so you can understand each other better.

Additionally, self-care is non-negotiable, find time to take care of yourself so you don’t experience frequent burnout. If you are always tired and stressed out, you can’t give your best in your relationship. 

2. Finding Shared Values Early

Different interests often cause problems in age-gap relationships, but that is mostly because they focus on the wrong things. Instead, identify your shared values early and build your relationship on that foundation because it will help shape your interests and goals. Shared values like communication, honesty, forgiveness, and appreciation can guide you in resolving conflicts, respecting your partner, and making important decisions together.

3. External Opinion Management Strategy

An excellent way to manage external influences in age-gap relationships is to focus on yourselves only and trust each other. It may be necessary to introduce your partner to people, but if they don’t support you, do not share information about your relationship with them or ask for their opinion, and limit the time such people can spend with your partner. 

Furthermore, when people make negative comments or jokes about your relationship, caution them immediately whether or not your partner is around; be bold to tell them that you do not appreciate them making comments like that.

Common Myths and Misconceptions about Age-Gap Dating 

There are lots of myths and misconceptions about Age-Gap dating. From tortuous breakups to mistrust, the list is endless. It also differs across regions, social class, and regions. Here are three common misconceptions people have about age-gap dating. 

• The Older Partner Dictates and Dominates

It is a common belief that when you are dating someone younger, you intend to dominate them and dictate everything that goes on in your relationship and in their lives as well. 

This is a common misconception that comes from the idea of elderly command and control. An elderly person tends to instruct, guide and even control the younger person. This can sometimes be domineering and bossy. However, this is not always the case as individuals differ in tolerance level.

• All Age-gap Dating is Short-lived and Ends in Break-ups

Age-gap dating is prone to breakups and divorce! While this may sound reasonable, it is totally wrong and a deceitful conspiracy.  Dating and relationships all depend on love, trust, and commitment. Alec Baldwin, Hollywood actor and filmmaker, and Hilary Lynn (twenty years age gap between them) have been married for more than twelve years.  Also, more than 45% of this form of relationship has recorded success, lasting for more than a decade. It is important to note that this form of dating can be successful. 

• The Younger Partner is After Monetary Benefits

In many age-gaps relationships, the older person tends to have more financial stability and could even be rich, therefore people can make false gold-digging accusations and assume that the younger person only wants money.

However, this is just an unfair generalization, it is important that partners evaluate their motives, and intentions themselves internally. That way you know your partner better than the public. This way you will not pay attention to this misconception.