Your Teenage Daughter is Dating an Older Man? Here’s How to Handle it

Whether 16 years or even older, it’s an established fact that women are generally attracted to older men.

However, it is essential for every caring parent to have adequate knowledge of the universally well-known reasons for this somewhat unsettling brainteaser.

For that, I highly recommend you check these out first.

Now, keep reading to discover reasons your daughter is dating an older man and also learn a few tips for successfully managing this delicate situation without destroying the critical parent-child trust and love.


Top 5 Reasons Women Date Older Men

1. Mature Men Appear More Caring

teenage girl is dating an older man

It really doesn’t take any divine inspiration to appreciate the obvious fact that older men are much more established than their younger counterparts.

Because it’s natural for any woman to date a man of remarkable means who can take proper care of her, what your daughter is but pursuing the age-old trend long taken by her female ancestors.

Very few ladies, if any, would want to hook up with a sissy twenty-something-year-old who’s still putting up with his army of immature roommates.


2. Older Men Show Greater Appreciation

Due to their extensive interactions with the opposite gender, grown-up males learn that appreciating women is the quickest gateway into their hearts.

Unlike young mates who may not appreciate her not-so-cute looks, older partners will praise her appearance all the same.

Away from the outer physique, mature lovers do not endeavor to change a woman’s personality like young experienced ones do.


3. Adults Wield More Father-Figure Influence

While women who had a sour bitter father-daughter association in their tender stages may grow up to hate older men of their dad’s age bracket, the opposite cannot be truer.

Therefore, your daughter of 16 years may be involved with a far older man due to the basic reason that she sees him as a perfect replica of paternal love and attention. This is especially true in father-orphaned girls or those living away from their biological fathers.

Again, the girl may come from a family with many younger siblings, which gradually reduces the close girl-father attention and adoration.


4. Gown-Up Males Have Greater Self-Confidence

teenage daughter is dating an older man

Similarly, grown-up males are imposingly more self-assured perhaps due to the understandable fact that they have already discovered who they are, or possibly as a result of professional and financial self-actualization.

Since women are naturally drawn to potential suitors who speak and act confidently, this could be the ultimate reason your girl is dating a gentleman who’s in his late forties.

Contrary to the self-respecting ebullience that adults portray, many young boys doubt their self-worth, which directly puts them an awkward position in the eyes of girls of their age.


5. Older Lovers Have More Power/Influence

Due to the undeniable fact that older men have greater control over matters and this profoundly lures younger females.

Even behavioral scientists can attest to the cardinal principle that women are automatically attracted to power, perhaps more than anything else.

Therefore, it is quite vital to conduct some background check to ascertain whether the man your daughter is in love with wields some measure of power or influence of some sort. If yes, then you precisely know why she’s so much into him.


Top 10 Ways to Handle a Teenage Daughter Who’s Dating an Older Man

While it’s reasonably natural for your daughter to be attracted to an older man, there are some potential drawbacks associated with wide-age-gap love affairs.

As a result, it behooves you to prudently handle this extremely delicate state of affairs so as it protect your child without causing further harm.

Nonetheless, these likely downsides should not deceive you into acting tactless or ruthless as this may put a lasting wedge between the two of you.

1. Don’t Freak Out

Freaking out may lead to senseless actions that may drive her further into the opportunistic strangers arms. Therefore, it is always advisable to act with calculated caution seeing that you can’t save already spilled water.


2. Establish the Duration They’ve Been Dating

The various careful steps to take after you discover that your 16-year-old daughter is involved with an adult man largely depend on the time they’ve been together.

Before you take the proverbial bull by the horns, it is exceedingly wise to investigate fully to determine how long she has been seeing the man in question.


3. Inform Her about the Consequences of Dating Older Men

While the best ways to tackle this two-pronged jigsaw may vary from one unique case to another, the fact that dating an older man may wreck your daughter’s life should be fully acknowledged by every concerned parent.

As such, you should cash in on the obvious daughter-parent trust and honestly counsel your teenage girl on the consequences of making this somewhat unfavorable choice at such a tender age.


4. Investigate about the Possibility of Past Incidences of Abuse

Relying on your personal ingenuity, and privately, undertake a clandestine investigation to establish whether your child has been abused in any way.

If not, you should handle the matter in a discreet manner to salvage your daughter from possible trouble. If you find out there has been evident gross misuse, don’t hesitate to involve the authorities. It’s the only sensible to do as a truly loving guardian.


5. Seek Expert Counselors

Since it may be hard to talk to your girl about her older lover, it is more advisable to delegate this responsibility to a professional counselor. It is, therefore, good to brief an independent counselor about the situation and let them discuss the issue in your absence.

This will create a sense of neutrality and openness and the child will be able to share some privy details she may deliberately hide from you.


6. Enhance Your Parental Responsibility

Given the fact that your daughter may be dating a mature guy due to some particular failures as a parent, making the necessary amends may preclude the necessity of the generally unhealthy love affair.

For instance, it is possible that your daughter is dating looking for the parental love that you withhold from her. Again, there’s a high probability that you have neglected your key money-related responsibilities.


7. Talk to the Male Lover

Although this may not be possible in all the cases, it’s very helpful to talk to your daughter’s lover personally as a way of managing this awfully delicate situation.

Talking to girl’s partner helps you get a better glimpse into the whole situation. It will also provide further insights about the kind of a man the teenager is involved with.


8. Be Positive about the Whole Matter

ways to handle a teenage daughter dating an older man

Some parents rush to criminalize their daughter’s dating mature guys. However, this is entirely unwise as it may push your girl further into the hands of a strange man.

As such, a lot of caution should be employed every inch of the tough way. In any case, you should assume that the lover is a thoroughly good person – that may be the chief reason your child fell in love with him!


9. Gauge the Viability the Relationship

If your daughter’s seeing a married man twice her age, you may prudently conclude that the affair is based on absolute opportunism.

Similarly, if the man’s single and well-focused, then you should be very careful to avoid wrecking a perfectly well-meant relationship.

Remember that you also passed through the same challenges that your daughter is facing currently.


10. Health Status of the Man

This is an extremely important step to take as a caring parent after discovering that your daughter is dating an older male.

In fact, this intervention should overrun all the other tips provided above. If the man is infected with a venereal disease, acting pretty fast can save your girl from deadly consequences.