[Romy]

Just curious, and not sure if this is the right section to post but I’m wondering how many men would secretly prefer to be with someone younger and in better condition than the woman they’re with now if they could ....I guess I’m interested in opinions anyone 50 and over.

You see so many men divorced and taking up with a woman much younger than their ex-wife. In my opinion I feel it’s more common than an older woman going off with a younger man.

Do men in in long term relationships still find their middle aged wife/partner attractive and desirable?

[jns]

I think men in long term relationships find their middle aged wife/partner attractive and desirable as long as their relationship is good. If their relationship is bad or ends I think it is fairly common for them to pursue younger women, even those just out of school in some cases. There are a number of reasons for this. First, the underlying biology drives them toward a woman that can have a child whether they want to have a child or not. Secondly, there are a lot more women who aren't in relationships and who are looking for one among younger women. Thirdly, an older man often brings experience, a solid background and financial security to the table, things that a lot of women find desirable. The young woman brings her youth, her enthusiasm and her youthful outlook to the table which can lead the man to want to relive his younger days. The young woman also is not set in her ways as much which helps the relationship along.

[jns]

as someone who's been married for a while, can tell you what my husband has said probably within last yr or two

the fresh out of college twentysomethings who've been hired where he works drive him crazy and even some approaching 30
he finds the younger people entitled, not very disciplined nor dedicated, etc
plus he hates tatoos and piercings which some of the younger set have
he's very work oriented so finds the younger workers undisciplined plus they leave within a year or two cause they feel they deserve more money right away w/o even working for it
some of them dress bizarre, too he's said so no....he's not trading me in

Interesting. Maybe it was the jobs, the applicants and the people doing the hiring.

I did some part time training of newly hired engineers out of college in the last few years of my career. I trained both men and women. The training was part of a rotation program to give them a feel for the jobs they might be assigned to and allowed the managers to see and test the new talent. They were later assigned to permanent positions. I found them all to be smart, clever and eager to learn. The wages and benefits were such that few would leave in the short term. Wages increased the first few years as they went up steps and additionally moved up if they got their professional certification. None were undisciplined. None dressed bizarrely, but if they did that and it was disruptive, they could have been terminated during probation if they did take corrective action after being told about it.

[atskitty2]

I think many men want a younger woman, sure. Many men don't. Depends on the man and what he wants and it's not always about the "model" appearance or the perceived vitality that youth brings. Sometimes we find the qualities we want in a person that just happens to be younger, or older...it's not really about the age.

I believe Ashlee is with a younger man. I've been seeing a younger man recently.

Age means very little to me. I've dated older, younger and my age. It's about what we're looking for.

[Popcorn&Candy]

I suppose some men don't, some men do. It all depends on the bloke himself. Of course there are also women who want to date younger people. There is no stereotype. Younger people can be a change and offer a different way to approach a relationship/fling/affair/whatever. And many do experiment by dating younger people.

Personally, I prefer older men. I am no spring chicken, but I would not date a younger guy. Older men have always appealed far more for me.

Again, though, it depends on the person's preference.

[Maximus]

Each person brings his own set of experiences and values, ultimately generalization doesn't provide any useful information.
We cannot look at a 20-30something and expect the level of experience of a 50something.
Occasionally we might meet someone in her 30's who has a vast experience, simply being unassuming about it.

[Claret]

In my case, it's a good thing my husband prefers older women. I'm older than him in years (not that many, but still) and we are same level in education (University grads) and levels of experiences.

[Popcorn&Candy]

Funnily enough, I was walking to the shop when I saw this older man driving a car, flirting quite outrageously with a 14 year old girl. She seemed very flattered. She was with her friends and they all chatted. She was, obviously, very attractive to him. Of course, your post isn't referring to that age group, but the point is youth is appealing. [However, 14 year old girls and boys should never be hit on by an adult.]

Attraction is there, regardless of age [within reason]. I don't see a problem with a 20 year age difference between two people. The year you're put on the planet should not necessarily mean two people can't be together [in adulthood]. Men do love a younger model often, but it depends on the man. I would happily date an older man. So, I'd be happy he wanted me, even though I was younger!

[jns]

Funnily enough, I was walking to the shop when I saw this older man driving a car, flirting quite outrageously with a 14 year old girl. She seemed very flattered. She was with her friends and they all chatted. She was, obviously, very attractive to him. Of course, your post isn't referring to that age group, but the point is youth is appealing. [However, 14 year old girls and boys should never be hit on by an adult.]

The question I have is this: how did he know that this girl was 14 instead of 18?

Youth can be appealing and it can also be annoying. Once I was past the stage of youth I realized that I really didn't want a relationship with a woman of that age category.

[Popcorn&Candy]

God knows. But she seemed to feel extremely flattered. That's the way of things, though.