For example, a 16 year old girl is going out with a 13 year old boy. Is that wrong? It sounds wrong. Although they are only about three years apart the maturity level is minimal for the boy and probably a lot higher for the girl. Teenagers learn and mature quickly.

You might then wonder why a 23 year old girl and a 20 year old boy going out isn't as wrong. Well these would be both adults, both already mature, both have much in common. Adults can have a more severe age difference because of their experience.

Now let's say a child of 13 is going out with a 28 year old. That is a 15 year age difference. But of course, I have heard of couples, like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes that have a 15 year age difference and no one says it's wrong. Well, when there is such an age difference and a child as young as 13 is involved, there are laws against this for a reason. The child is not perfectly safe, they are not on the same maturity level which means they can not relate very easily and they cannot fall in love and it is considered wrong for 28 year old men to have feelings sexual toward a child of 13.

Many people will say, 'but age doesn't matter, they love each other.'
Well age does matter because as I said many times before, there is no relation if you are not on the same level of thinking. You could think very different things, you could have very different maturity levels, and/or it could be illegal for one to even be involved with a relationship of such an age difference, all of these factors contribute to whether you are able to love a person or not.

My theory is, there is no love if there is no relation.

That is why large age gaps don't work in childhood/teenlife but are able to work in the sophisticated world of adults.

-------
:)

Personaly at my age, of 16 almost 17; 2 months! I would only go as high as 3 or 4 years.

-------
"I believe in love even when I don't feel it
And I believe in God even when He is silent"

---

So if I were 18, and my girlfriend was 10, and she believed she was ready, would that be okay?

You have to set limits, obviously. A 3 year gap is the maximum.

---

  That would be kinda wrong. An 18 year old and a 10 year old. Jeez the girl probably hasnt hit puberty yet. wtf?

-------
-DOPEGIRL-

sometimes we just always think of something that could make us happy and then go for it... your partner might also be happy too..
but are you prepared to leave her and long for you after your funeral.  

she chould have been happy for a long period of time if you were not in the way..and she might have met someone at her age.lol.

just hope she'd find someone else to replace you.

-------------
my opinion

Post edited at 2:29 am on Oct. 25, 2008 by kris shaun

It does to an extent, but i think anyone around the age of 16 or 17 is usually mature enough to make the right decisions in their life.

if i had to put numbers on it....

16-20, fine.

18+, doesnt matter too much

-------
"I'll chase my sunset laced with pride in this heartless gallion."
-IKTPQ

Trust me I've gone out  with someone 6 years my senior and that was kool at the beginning but the pressure was too much, I gave up on so many things jus to be able to be there for him and do what he wanted because I didnt want to loose him. Relationships are something persons have to kno the average age they look for a person to be