Age Gap Marriages Can Work: Russian Women Choose Older Men

When it comes to love, age is nothing but a number. For instance, count on any of these celebrities, Tom cruise and Katie Holmes, Madonna and Guy Ritchie, Salman Rushdie and Padma Laksmi, Michael Doughlas and Catherine Zeta Zones, Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry.... the count is endless. Age difference between the couple is not a big deal for many.

It has been a common belief that the strongest families are those in which husbands are several years older than their wifes. I believe it is a fine cultural norm in Ukraine - with five to fifteen years difference in age on the average, and maybe more in some cases.

For most of the Ukrainian girls age of a potential partner is not that important but a personality and compatibility. Many ladies are looking for older men as they are considered to be more stable, experienced and definite in their needs.

Age gap marriages can work. My husband is 20 years older than me and we have been married for many years. Age is only a barrier if you make it so - sometimes as an excuse for other problems. Helen C, Scotland

Recently the antropologists started to build up a scientific foundation for that fenomen, their findings prove a great positive impact on the health of future generations, caused by men who have children with considerably younger women. While such things are a matter of opinion, I do think that tradition in general favors this norm.

The scientists from Stanford University (www.stanford.edu) studied people who are living all over the world- from the American cities inhabitants to the aboriginals in Paraguay, who still live in an isolated communities and avoid the civilization.

Girls mature at an earlier age than boys and will therefore tend to marry somewhat older men. Traditionally, it has been the men that have provided for the family. The age differences become "minor" so to speak (they have less significance),

The age issue is always more important to those outside the relationship than the people concerned. Christine Donnelly, UK