Personally it's up to what the two people involved can handle.

When I was 18 I saw a woman who was 39 and when I was 19-20 I saw a woman who was 38. When I look back now, I think they were both pervs...lmao!

For my personal preference, I like to stay about 5-6 years below my age or above my age. That's not set in stone though, just seems I would have more in common. But then again my ex's have all been closer than that range and here I am single lmao.

I don't think 12 years is to much of a difference. I think alot of it depends on the maturity of the individuals.

I agree that it has to do with the things in common. I have always been a home body so dating someone younger than me who wanted to go out quite often and party or whatever is not someone I could be with long term. So I have always tended to be with an older partner.

However if you love to be social and be involved in many things, then younger with a zest for excitment is a better match. It really is what is the best fit for you and your life.

Age is just a number.

actually, I think 12 years is a huge age difference. I'm going to be honest with you because 12 years is the exact age difference between me and the woman I am currently infatuated with.

I don't think that it's something that can't be overcome, though. If both of your are willing to make it work, then you can probably make it work, but you have to realize that you won't have very many common things to remember together. For example, I have very fond memories of childhood toys and television series that she can't relate with. That's not a -huge- problem, I know, but little things like that add up.

In my case, she's in frame of mind where she just wants to settle down into something comfortable and familiar. She knows what she wants, she knows what she has to do to attain what she wants, and she is actively working toward those goals. I'm at the point in life where I'm still figuring all that stuff out. Hell, I'm still navigating that awkward area of life that happens right after graduating college where you just don't know where your next step forward should be or what it should be pointing to or how it exactly it should point to get to some vague goal I have somewhere in my mind.

Despite all of that, I don't think it's impossible to make it work. I think anything is possible as long as both of you are honest about your intentions and your intentions line up beautifully parallel with each other's.

Good luck, though. I'm glad I'm not the only one in this boat.

My partner is 42 and I am 26 years old. We are alot alike and she is like a older version of me.

Here's the way I'd do it: estimate your own mental and emotional age (be honest)and then allow 5 years up or down. See if it apromximates out to her actual age. If it does, you may have good potential for a happy relationship.