Is an age gap of 5 years okay?
Studies show that the 4-5 year age gap provides the most stable relationship. Gaps more than 8 to 10 years show higher disillusionment, quarrels and disturbed interpersonal relationships, leading to separation and divorce Bigger age gaps might have worked well for some, but cannot generalise.
After analysing 3,000 people, it found that couples with a five-year age gap are 18 per cent more likely to split up than those of the same age. Interestingly, that figure rose to 39 per cent for couples with a 10-year age gap and a shocking 95 per cent for those with a 20-year age gao.
"Half-your-age-plus-seven" rule
An often-asserted rule of thumb to determine whether an age difference is socially acceptable holds that a person should never date someone whose age is less than half their own plus seven years.
A relationship age gap bigger than 10 years often comes with its own set of issues. “While there are always exceptions to rules, a good rule to remember is that dating someone more than 10 years older will present challenges now or later that add to the preexisting challenges any relationship has,” he says.
Finally, there is really no rule about “optimal age gap in marriage”. Age difference of one to five years seems to be optimal for most couples, the female spouse being younger.
In short, research seems to indicate that in many cultures, an age gap of 1 to 3 years is considered ideal — but some researchers suggest even a relationship with an age gap of less than 10 years will bring more satisfaction.
It has been found6 that people in age-gap relationships live longer. This is potentially due to differential fertility, the ability of the younger partner to care for the older partner into old age and economic security.
While age differences between couples may spark raised eyebrows, they aren't that uncommon. Though the average age gap between people in heterosexual relationships in the US is about 2.3 years,¹ many relationships endure with a much wider age interval.
Gertrude Grubb Janeway (USA, b. 3 July 1909), was 18 when she married 81-year-old Union Civil War veteran, John Janeway on 9 June 1927 – an age difference of 63 years.
Man, 112, marries 17-year-old bride
In what is thought to be the biggest age difference in the world a Somali man married his teenage bride despite a 95 YEAR gap. Ahmed Muhamed Dore, who already had 13 children by five wives, married Safia Abdulleh, when she was just 17-years-old.
Is 5 years considered a long marriage?
A marriage of less than 5 years is generally considered by the family courts to be a short marriage.
Couples with an age gap of 1 to 3 years (with the man older than the woman) were the most common and had the greatest levels of satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction decreased slightly for couples with age gaps of 4 to 6 years and continued to decrease for couples with an age gap of 7 or more years.
For men, early was defined as marrying before the age of 26 (29 percent), on time was between the ages of 27 and 30 (38 percent), and late if they married after 30 (33 percent). Results showed that people who married on time or late were least likely to report depressive symptoms in midlife.
Two to three years. Pros: Per the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology College, this age gap is the least likely to result in adverse outcomes for mother and baby.
Many people assume that age-gap couples fare poorly when it comes to relationship outcomes. But some studies find the relationship satisfaction reported by age-gap couples is higher. These couples also seem to report greater trust and commitment and lower jealousy than similar-age couples.
1. A sizeable portion of American adults have engaged in age-gap dating. Nearly four in ten (39%) have previously dated someone with an age difference of 10+ years. Men are more likely to have dated someone 10+ years younger than them compared to women (25% vs.
5 Years Apart or More. The Playground Wisdom: There are big winners with this spacing. Your kids each get the benefits of being an only child—lots of individual attention—but also the companionship of a sibling, even if they're not super tight.
No legal issues unless there is sexual contact. But in general, it is a dumb thing to do at your age to date someone 25% older than you.
A 2-Year Age Gap
Sibling rivalry is strongest during these years and parents are often already struggling with a toddler who is developing a strong sense of identity and loves to use the word “No!”
While it's not illegal for them to share, it's recommended that children over the age of 10 should have their own bedrooms – even if they're siblings or step-siblings. We know this isn't always possible. If kids are sharing, try to have regular conversations with them about how they're feeling.
What is a healthy age gap between siblings?
Experts recommend waiting at least 18 months between pregnancies because it reduces the risk of your youngest child being preterm or low birthweight (especially if you're over 35).
Dating Age Rule. The dating age rule to determining a socially acceptable age difference in partners goes something like this: half your age plus seven (40 = 20 +7 = 27) to define the minimum age of a partner and your age minus seven times two (40 = 33 * 2 = 60) to define the maximum age of a partner.
If a dating relationship with a minor involves sexual conduct, it can be illegal. The ages of the couple and the state's age of consent will determine whether it is a crime, or not. If it is, the offense is generally statutory rape. However, many states have a close-in-age exception.
California does not set a minimum age for someone to date within the state legally. However, if an adult has sexual relations with a minor, the adult can be charged with statutory rape.