Midlife Singles Aren’t Looking for an Ozzie and Harriet Style of Marriage Relationship Lifestyle
Modern Mate Selection Is Different Now for Singles Over 40 and 50
I’m just back from presenting 2 midlife dating workshops 2 hrs each covering different phases of online dating at a Las Vegas Singles Conference. Most of the singles there were 40 years old and older. Pretty much all Baby Boomers and Gen X singletons. The singles workshops were very interactive, which was just great because the participants really got their money’s worth in terms of their investment of time and moola in attending.
One of the themes which emerged in both sessions as well as was point of conversation then at lunchtime was that Gen X and Boomers singles at this stage in life, after 45 and 50 years old pretty much – want a different kind of relationship than when they were 20 somethings or even early 30s somethings. They aren’t looking for a 1950s, 1960s and 1970s TV Family married couple relationship like Ozzie and Harriet, Danny Thomas did on Father Knows Best, Fred MacMurray on My Three Sons, or even Robert Reed on The Brady Bunch. They may have been our role models growing up during those times, or for the Gen X and Gen Y folks watching them all on syndication reruns that flooded television in the 1970s and 80s.
When that is the case and you are dating after likely already having children and owning a small house, townhouse, or condo, those are important things to discuss in the date 3-5+. What do you want? Now that you have already had kids… what do you want now in a relationship? What kind of lifestyle do you lead now at midlife now that having having children is past and you are seguing into empty-nesting? Do you travel regularly for business? Personal adventures traveling?
Not only are these important things and questions to ask your date once you first determine whether or not their is the all-important imperative of In-Person Chemistry (not just the fantasy from Online Email Message Exchanges). These are also important questions to pose to yourself! And Dating is the laboratory for vetting out the truth, testing, and refining.
Until you are well-matched for a life-long love LIFE partnership… which may or may not at your age result in marriage. While the majority of Midlifers are looking for a LTR long term relationship and commitment, marriage isn’t always on the table for a number of reasons. What kind of relationship are you seeking? Which sites are you using and what kind of experiences are
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Las Vegas Midlife Baby Boomer Online Dating Expert
John Ho says
September 22, 2009 at 10:05 AMDifferent age groups have differents priorities and needs.
Gen X, Gen Y & Baby boomkers all differ.
John Ho
JJ Jalopy says
September 22, 2009 at 1:34 PMGlad your workshops rocked. Not that there was ever any chance of that not happening…
At any age, I think it’s important to get clear on what you want, rather than what you think other people expect of you.
Darryl Pace says
September 22, 2009 at 3:17 PMApril,
Sounds like your workshops were very successful! You’re awesome!
As for people wanting something different, date-wise, after the age of 50, I can kind of see how that might be the case. Seems like they may not want more children, and they would just like a stable, fun, and loving partner. Is that the case?
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace
David Power says
September 24, 2009 at 2:41 PMYou are so right about people wanting and needing different things from a relationship. Good to hear that your busy with your fantastic workshops!!! you are a romantic gem!!!!
Don Shepherd says
October 23, 2009 at 1:07 PMAt this stage in life i know what i want and that makes dating easier. Of course after having attended Kevin’s body language weekend i have even more insight as to whether there will be a second date 🙂
Don Shepherd