Ever since Anne Bancroft seemingly raised her jawdroppingly taut leg as Mrs Robinson in the brilliant coming of age flick The Graduate, the older woman syndrome has caught the fancy of almost every other man. And when men like Richard Gere and George Clooney make women weak in the knees as they age, one can’t help wonder what is it about dating someone markedly older than one’s age range that seems so alluring. The X-Factor gives you seven reasons on why dating an older man or woman is a good option.

Confidence

Older women have the self-confidence that could only come from experience and the knowledge that they can handle whatever life throws their way. That is not to say that they never have a bad day, but merely that it’s probably due to something more than the fact that they have a pimple and a party to go to that night. An older man has established his career and is confident with where it’s headed, so he’s totally supportive of your ambitions too.
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Security

That she has raised kids, walked out on a marriage or turned a loss-making company into a multi-crore turnover conglomerate means she is certainly equipped with exemplary crisis management skills. An older man has battle scars that illustrate that age aids life experiences and when in doubt, who better to turn to? The sense of security that comes with being with a much more worldly-wise person cannot be matched. But that doesn’t mean you let him/her father/mother you. If you’re going to bed with him, you certainly don’t want him to be a father figure. Banish that thought. It’s illegal.

Self-esteem

Mrs Robinson may be a social taboo and your parents may threaten to disinherit you for being with a woman as old as your mom. But if you believe in this relationship, go right ahead. The older woman is happy to be with a man who has a rabbit’s drive and the younger man feels satisfied that he’s taken seriously enough. It’s a win-win ego trip!

Experience

She’s been there, done that and knows that premature ejaculation is par for the course with most men at some stage or the other. Her experience in bed makes her less judgmental and makes it easier for the man to handle his “not-so-successful” attempts. The same works for an older man who clearly knows how to please a woman thanks to his previous experiences. This is especially exciting for a young woman because the man is not obsessed with the sexual adventurer’s ultimate prize — the G-spot, and in fact needs no roadmap to find his way.

Well-read

Do you know how attractive it is for a young man that the older woman is talking Neil Gaiman’s works and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s tunes in the same breath? Or an older man can move from Beatles to Breitling as easily as he can discuss Mitt Romney’s chances or Bhishma’s role in the Mahabharat? Age brings with it exposure to pop culture, politics and literature. Intelligent, stimulating conversation is the most cited reason by youngsters for dating much older people.

Independence

An older woman’s independence is a strong stress reliever for any man. A man does not have to worry about dating young gold diggers that will take him for a ride only to get a slice of his wallet. The independence is also alluring is because it takes the pressure off the man and no matter how progressive we get, a man will subconsciously respect an independent woman and her choices. An older man may or may not have personal baggage, but that his career struggle days are behind him and his investments are more or less set, a younger woman can take heart in the fact that she may not have to support him financially. In this age of double-income couples, some women still like the idea that the man is independent enough to be depended upon.

Comfort

So her assets aren’t as perky as she’d like them to be and he has stopped worrying about the weight of his generous waist. As we get older, we get more comfortable in our skins — though that doesn’t mean there isn’t a burgeoning Botox and tummy tuck industry in India. When people are comfortable with their bodies and other shortcomings, they can indulge in sex without inhibition. Stress-free sex is perhaps the best sex one can have. If despite the years you can’t knock off the inhibition, invest in a light dimmer. It’s the best source of camouflage since you used your concealer in college to hide that hickey.