Five Reasons Why Dating After Forty is Better

When my mother turned forty, she decided to give up on the dating game. She and my father divorced when she was thirty-five, and though she didn’t date much before the big 4-0, she decided to call it quits as she entered what she called the “down side” of life. With the divorce rate as high as it is, there are thousands of over-forty singles out there who think that they can’t connect with anyone because they aren’t college co-eds anymore. They think that because they haven’t found that “special someone,” or because they’ve already been through a failed marriage, that there couldn’t possibly be anyone out there for them. This is not true!

There are five amazing reasons why men and women over the age of forty should continue looking for their other half, and why it can even be better than previous attempts. If you’re over forty and single, don’t give up! Some things are better on this side of the hill.

1. You know what you want.

There are some marriages that begin at the age of eighteen and last until the very end, but there are even more that don’t. Just because you’ve graduated high school doesn’t mean that you’ve gained the necessary life experience to decide upon a life partner – someone with whom you can talk, argue, raise children, and handle all of life’s problems.

Many people don’t discover who they truly are until later in life, and if you don’t know who you are, then you can’t possibly hope to find the right partner. Serious relationships and marriage require strength, trust, troubleshooting, and the ability to laugh off arguments. Singles who are over forty have a greater understanding of what works for them and what doesn”t. This will give you an edge on finding the right “special someone” and making it work.

2. You are financially secure.

During your early and even late twenties, most people are just beginning to build their professional careers, and are often working on a shoestring budget. Financial troubles make relationships even more complicated than they already are, and can serve to put a strain on even the strongest of couples.

When dating after forty, you’ve already built a “nest egg” and are probably living comfortably, which leaves you free to pursue relationships without worrying about money. This is an amazing bonus, and will simplify your search for a partner.

3. You’ve gained perspective on life.

Unfortunately, many young couples end up married because they’ve chosen one another for the wrong reasons. Perhaps they were anxious to have sex, or they found each other physically attractive, but they might not have connected on a deeper level. Later in life, a marriage built on superficial reasons will undoubtedly crumble..

With dating over forty, you’ve passed that time in your life. Most over-forty singles are more concerned with finding an intellectual and emotional connection, rather than just with physical attraction. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t find your partner attractive, but that factor will be secondary to more important characteristics.

4. You don’t have small children to worry about.

During the twenties and thirties, there are far more chances of meeting someone with young children, or having your own to complicate relationships. Children are a blessing and should come first in any relationship, which means that you have to find someone who will love your children as much as you do.

After forty, most singles have children who are teenagers or already grown, which makes things far less complicated. You’re able to focus on yourselves rather than on the kids, which gives you an opportunity to get to know each other at your own pace.

5. You can feel comfortable with taking things slow.

If you’ve passed the forty mark, then you’ve probably experienced quite a few things in your lifetime. You are no longer anxious to pursue new experiences, and you aren’t in a hurry to rush things. This is an excellent advantage over youth because it gives you an opportunity to get to know others at your own pace, and to take your time with a relationship.

Many failed relationships were doomed from the start because things progressed much too quickly. Jumping into marriage is a terrible mistake; there are characteristics and idiosyncrasies in people that won’t show up for months or years after meeting. Dating over forty gives you the advantage of time – you know how to slow down, take a breather, and focus on getting to know the other person.

For more information about dating after forty, check out How Not to Stay Single After 40 : The Secret to Finding Passion, Love, and Fulfillment – At Last! by Nita Tucker. You can purchase the book for as little as $2.76 at Amazon. This is a very empowering book that can help women pursue relationships after forty.