How to Ask out Younger Men on Dates
A 2003 AARP study of 3,500 single men and women ages 40 to 69 revealed that 34 percent of women over 40 date younger men. Many Baby Boomer women are in great shape, independent and not afraid to ask out younger men for dates.
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Instructions
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Define your intentions for dating younger men. If you are divorced or have ended a long-term relationship, you might not be interested in a very serious relationship to start. If you are successful in your career and tend to pursue active hobbies, or you are very athletic, a younger date might be the one who can actually keep up with you.
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Be supremely self-confident and outgoing. Approaching a younger man for a date will require that you are comfortable doing this. Taking a risk like this means you know that if he is not interested, you cannot blame the rejection on your age or anything else: it is a matter of preference. There will be many younger men who actually enjoy dating older women for a number of reasons. Of course, this may not be every man's cup of tea, and you must have the resiliency to not allow other people's opinions deter you.
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Seek out places where you are apt to find younger men. Health clubs, sporting events and live music performances are some examples. Of course, if you tend to go these places on your own already, this is even better. Ideally, you find younger men organically in your day-to-day life: browsing at your local bookstore or while shopping for groceries.
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Be direct, friendly and low-key. Many younger men have never been asked out by an older woman. You may be the first, so don't be too blunt. As with any social interaction, use your intuition and be sensitive. Introduce yourself and make it clear you are interested in a date. As with asking out a man of any age, younger or older, start with a mellow invitation to coffee or tea, or if you are comfortable enough, to a brunch or lunch.
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Give yourself a chance to practice. Flirt casually with younger men that you probably will not be able to date you. This could be any younger man you come across during your day: flirting innocently with him will give you a chance to see how comfortable you are even doing this much.
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Go online. This may or may not work for you. Free community websites or dating sites that you pay to join are popular but can feel artificial. And, there is the risk of being pigeon-holed into the unflattering category of being Mrs. Robinson only seeking a physical encounter. If placing a personal ad online with an anonymous email that protects your privacy is practical, do so. You can also search personal ads from younger men who are specifically seeking older women.
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Understand you are going against the grain and may ruffle some feathers. Dating younger men can still carry negative connotations in some social circles. If you are 35 and interested in dating men ages 28 to 33, that is not a huge leap. If, however, you are over 40 and dating someone who is only 28, that may raise some eyebrows (including the 28-year-old's mother). Be yourself and manage the relationship in a way that makes sense for you: allow it to change and grow and even fade. You don't need to decide in the first month if you want the romantic friendship to end.
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Avoid trying to "look young" or doing anything that is not genuinely how you are. If you are in great shape, terrific--you probably get asked out all the time by men of all ages. If you are not, this is not a deterrent. There are many fish in the sea and if you are clear in your intentions, you are capable of getting a date with a young Prince.
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Have fun, no matter what and be responsible to yourself and your date. Once you have mustered the courage to ask out your younger date, enjoy it. Unless you are searching for your next husband, enjoy the time you have with your young beau. The honeymoon period is generally sweet and while it may not last, you can genuinely enjoy the friendship.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't let other people dissuade you. Every individual will set her own expectations and "goals" for her relationships. Ultimately, Mr. Right can be younger or older, and if you are willing to take risks, you may surprise yourself by going against cultural norms.
