Can a relationship with someone half your age work?

aonk

A good friend of mine married a divorced man who was quite a lot older. He had teenage children and she found it hard to cope with them and her own small children at the same time. She is still young and active but he died some years ago and she was his carer for a long time before that.

Children and other family members can complicate any second relationship far more than any age difference. I would suggest if your relationship is right and works don’t worry about age difference, enjoy life today, tackle tomorrow when it arrives.

I think this is the forum where we all should appreciate that age is but a number. People are are all very different in the way they age and attitudes towards it.

Helenlouise3

Our son met his ex wife when he was 16. They were together for 26 years, but separated last year. He has 4 children, 3 with his wife and one with another lady. He's now met a lady half his age, who in fact is only 3 years older than his eldest child. They've just moved in together and I have to say I haven't seen him this happy for many years. She's a lovely lady/girl and we get on well with her. However I just can't get past the fact that he's twice her age. Can this possibly work?

My mother remarried many years after her divorce from my father.

The man she married was the same age as me (mid twenties at the time - my mother entering late 40s).

The marriage lasted for 17 years. My mother suffered ill-health as she aged, but her husband was very supportive and kind throughout. When they finally split up, it was because of incompatibility - as she recuperated she found new strengths and interests... basically she 'advanced' and he 'regressed'. In other words, he started to settle-down as he matured, and my mother found a new lease on life as she grew into old age.

No one can say if it will work for your son. It may well be an enduring relationship, who knows. Much will depend on how they 'grow' together as a couple, and individually. We often assume the younger partner will get 'bored' or tire of the older one but, as my mother's case seems to indicate - it can also work the other way round.

I wish them good luck anyway.

It’s hips and backs, not knees, that are the problem here.

With DH (76) - RA, OA ?‍?

Me (50) - awaiting THR and OA??‍?

Ddog (8) - cruciate ligament problems and possible OA ?

Dcat (9) - is holding the fort, flying the flag etc ?

Im not a fan of directive language like ‘Should ‘ however from my own experience of living very happily for many years with a much younger man, I’m in agreement with dogsmother Age is just a number. For me it’s been shared values, and a shared vision of how life is to be lived and a good dose of humour that has sustained our relationship.

When we got together, I was 26 and DH 52. That was 24 years ago

I would be rather more concerned about the son's family of four children. If my calculations are correct, (they well may not be) he is about 43, the woman 21 and his oldest child 18. A great deal of responsibility still, not least of all financially.