So, just to to a little more perspective, I'm a 48 year old man, who has had a few relationships with 20-30 year old women. It's not my perfect alignment, to be sure.

I mean, I appreciate their youthful features, but it is a trying experience to put up with the naivete and immaturity.

I prefer women 27 or so and older, but because I am looking for someone to have a few children with, and I want to have been with them 5 years or so before we start having children, that severely pushes down my maximum age range.

That said, it's not hopeless, but it requires a great deal of responsibility on the part of the more mature person. You are going to be such a huge part of this person's life experience that you have to be very unselfish if you aren't going to screw it up.

It's hard to let someone learn, to support, not criticise when they make rookie mistakes, to remember that even though you are there to take care of them, you have to let them make their own way so that they can be with you by choice, not dependence. I've ended a couple relationships because it was obvious that the woman was not going to be able to "grow up" with me around. It was really rough, but I know it was for the best.

It takes a remarkably self aware woman to be able to manage the balance and to cooperate in their own development without making you into a father figure.