If you are attracted to people much older or younger than you, why?

[Anonymous]

I have always been attracted to older men (min 8yrs, max 24 years). My friends tell me that it is odd. I am now married to a man 10 years older.
I have come to the conclusion that my strong personality and professional success makes for a bad mix with my age mates. It was best for me to deal with men who could handle my personality and not feel threatened. No competition to mess things up. Also, they needed the confidence to calmly ignore my strong opinions. This was not something that younger men could manage. I must say that the men that I dated were not sugar daddies or creeps looking for some submissive woman to dominate.

[Anonymous]

Age has nothing to do with maturity. People do not walk around with their age posted on their foreheads either. You are attracted to who you are attracted to and nothing wrong with that. No need for an explantation.

[Anonymous]

I always liked younger men. They were more fun and relaxed than men my age.

DH is 1 year older than me and fits the "fun/relaxed" profile I always looked for in younger men.

[Anonymous]

I'm attracted to intelligence, talent, character and confidence, which come in all ages. I've been attracted to people under twenty and into their sixties. Later, really, except not as interested in actual sex after that age.

[Anonymous]

I'm attracted to older men. I'm in my 20's bf is in his 40's. 15 yr age gap. I'm attracted to intelligence, confidence, and maturity. I've always had a thing for a little gray in the beard.. weird I know.

[Anonymous]

I don't think 10 years is a major difference after maybe age 27 or 28. Before that, it might point to immaturity (or control issues) on the part of the older person. (Disclaimer: I dated older when I was very young, until the guys caught up with me maturity-wise.)

I've always liked guys very close to my own age. I have younger brothers who I used to babysit so I have a hard time going more than a couple years younger - I feel more maternal toward younger guys. I want to fix them up with girls and help them solve their problems. (I would be a terrible Cougar.) Yet I am kind of "young at heart" in my interests at 40, so older guys are often just too old for me. I'll be excited about the latest Calvin Harris dance song and they're waxing poetic about the Rush concert, and I can't relate.

[Anonymous]

Older men as well. Might be a power thing. Might be a maturity thing, even though I don't think of "myself" as super-mature. But have always been attracted to older men.