7 Things All Women Should Know About Dating Younger Guys

Some harsh truths...

Updated 7 months ago, May 9, 2024

As the saying goes, “You’re only as old as the man you’re feeling.” So, are Madonna, Mariah, and J-Lo all on to something with their considerably younger beaus? Or should we take a lesson from Demi and avoid robbing cradles?

We asked 10 women to tell us what they learned from dating a younger guy. Read on to see what they had to say!

1. They’re Not As Independent

“Most of my ex’s were younger. In my opinion, it never turned out well because they were intimidated by where I was in life in comparison … and they were also really immature. They never took the initiative, or showed confidence. They weren’t as independent as I am, and sometimes I just wanted them to plan the date for once.” — Pam, 25

2. They’re Drama-Free

“When I have the choice, I date men who are 30 years younger than me. Men in their 30’s are still about having fun, adventuring, exploring and building their career, and they appreciate a drama free connection with a woman. They don’t mind the power inequity, while men who are closer to my age feel the need to battle for the position.” — Paula, 67

3. They Make Great Rebounds

“I dated a guy who was 6 years my junior after a bad breakup. He was basically a rebound. The sex was AMAZING and his friends basically thought I was a goddess …but I couldn’t have a normal ‘grownup’ conversation with him at all, even about the simplest things. Introducing him to friends was a struggle, even if it was just at a chill house party. A typical introductory conversation went like this: ‘What do you do, Joe?’ ‘I’m a student at Nassau Community College.’ ‘Oh what are you studying?’ ‘Liberal arts.’ [Crickets chirping] Ultimately, as hot as he was, I just couldn’t deal with how dumbed down he was.” — Yasmin, 30

4. They’re Full Of Life

“I switched to younger men many years ago. I find that younger men are a lot less judgmental, open to non-mainstream ideas, and have the energy to get out and have a life, outside of work.” — Dixie, 51

5. They Can Be Mature …

“I never thought I could see myself with someone younger, and sometimes I think about the cons — like when I’m 30 he’ll still be in his 20’s, but it’s been an amazing experience. He treats me like a princess. I actually didn’t know my boyfriend’s age until a day after we started talking. He’s surprisingly, extremely mature, even though he’s two years younger than me.” — Lindsay, 26

“I dated a much older guy before meeting my current younger one, and I think I didn’t take the younger guy as seriously because of his age. When we began dating he was still in college, and I was handling a demanding job. I wasn’t sure how to exactly bring him to work events without feeling like a cougar…or a tinge of embarrassment. It seems ridiculous now, because he’s more mature and thoughtful than any of the guys I had previously dated. I was the immature one for not recognizing it early on … and being caught up in superficial things like age.” — Nicole, 25

6. Or Immature

“I’ve dated a younger guy before, and it turned out to be a bad experience. He was much more immature, and there’s a very strong possibility that he was still talking to his ex while we were together because he was very sneaky! He’s the only younger guy I’ve ever dated, and I wouldn’t date younger after him. — Lisa, 26

“The younger guys I’ve dated are just way too immature, and don’t know how to treat a woman. They are also always looking to go to clubs and bars when sometimes I would just want a nice dinner, movie and conversation. Most younger guys just don’t understand that.” — Liz, 26

7. It’s All Relative

“I’ve learned that it’s all about perspective. I never saw my (now husband) Mike as being younger, because I always think of myself as younger than everyone else!” — Joanna, 33