I'm totally into older men; however, under the right circumstances I would date a younger man. I just haven't found that person, as of yet. For example, there is a guy who currently is interested in dating me. He's 10 years younger. I just don't think he's right for even a casual relationship.
OB I understand about dating a person who has a child especially-- a young child. It's an aspect of that person's life that I would take very seriously. Is it a deal breaker? Perhaps, but not defiantely.
I am on a dating site and more than 1 man explains that he is a single parent and that those children are his priority. However, a woman is a single parent for many, many reasons and it has nothing to do with her being an irresponsible person.
On Monday, a police officer's cruiser was rear-ended by a drunk driver. The officer died and left behind a wife and 2 children. The children are 9 and 3 years of age. Suddenly, through no fault of her own, that woman is a single parent.
My own step father raised 4 children because my mom died in a car accident when I was barely 8 years old. He was raising 8, 6, 5, and 4 years old children.
I am currently the guardian of a teenager. He's not my child but due to circumstances, I am raising him until he reaches his majority--4 more years. I went from childless to having a teenaged boy all in less than 1 year. It's one of many reasons that 2006 has been a very stressful year for me.
That being said, I've been with men who have young children and I choose to pass on that type of relationship. Because I have already raised my own child, I prefer a man without children or one who has children who are grown and gone. I've already been there and done that and don't want to return to the scene of the crime.
Lastly, I blieve that we can't be born and live without having some baggage. Some people are fortunate enough to live somewhat of a charmed life. Others are very resilient and are able to turn "lemons into lemonade".
Of course most of us are just worker drones trying to make it from day to day and from paycheck to paycheck until retirement. And then there are the lost souls for whom life seems to have a personal grudge against them.
Yeah, baggage. I've got some. More baggage than some. Less baggage than others. Life Happens.
Hugs and Kisses,
Karmen
Excellent response Karmen...and you illustrate important scenario's without a doubt.
Kudo's to you for taking on a young kid like that. I have no doubt that it is stressful.
And I can totally relate to you not wanting to date a man all that much younger than yourself. I am nearly 28, and on a general level the difference between 20-23 and my age are not outwardly noticable, but as far as mentality and maturity goes it might as well be 20 compared to 40. Seemingly every woman I meet wants to do all this bar-crawling, clubbing, etc. Which is fine if you are 21-22. After that, Im sorry to say, it should get old. Perhaps I am just disenchanted, being that I was a bouncer as a second job thru college, from before I could even legally drink (19), until I was about 24-25. ICK! So now no matter what reason I end up in a bar I feel like I am at work and its the same tired-ass game it always was.
I have a deep sympathy for widows. Obviously, thats a tragic situation for everyone involved, and really the only ones I feel any sorrow for. But really...how many single parents out there are widows/widowers? VERY, VERY FEW. I am aware that people make mistakes, but some mistakes are far greater than others, and illegitimite births are A)a terrible mistake and B) easily avoided.
The thesis of my complaint is that quite often, people choose to reproduce with complete shit-heads, and then somehow feel entitled to the belief that they are deserving of the "nice, stable guy" that they thwarted earlier on in life due to lack of excitement. They wanted the bad-boy...they got him...he's either no where in sight or utterly worthless...and the spawn remains. No guy wants to touch them. Now it's the nice guy's fault?
Bottom Line: I don't bring anything to her door, and she shouldnt bring anything to mine.
I also know what you mean about people who are seemingly HATED by fate. There is a young woman who I have warm feelings for, am great friends with, but she has the most fukked up family I ever saw. Molested/raped by multiple people growing up including her brothers and uncle. Married and knocked up at 17, divorced at 20, became a bar-slut, hung out with dirtbag bikers, bankrupt, has a kid with ADHD and exhibits signs of becoming a sexual predator at the tender age of 6, has an alcoholic-dirtbag ex, a bunch of horrible tattoos of the dumbest things that look like they were done in Crayon. Nevertheless, I befriended her, taught her a new way of thinking, how to view and treat herself, and what she is capable of accomplishing. I taught her how to work out, eat, and she in turn has lost 100 pounds. I taught her how to rebuild credit, and she is. She has a well-paying, salaried job with full benefits. I think you get the point.
As fun as she is and how proud that I am of her, I simply could never, ever, be more than a friend to her. I know that she wants more than that, but there is a point that a person reaches where you simply can do no more than friendship, because thats like buying a ticket on the Titanic. I hurt because of her circumstances (ones she both inherited and created), and I also hurt that I have to see someone with a beautiful soul go thru what she has had to, and will have to go thru probably forever. I carry an overwhelming feeling of guilt because I cannot rightfully be anything more, do anything more for her without forever compromising myself.
It's a sad, and lonely world sometimes...
...OB