Our “type” changes as we grow older. Time puts pressure on people, and they are less inclined to play games. They usually have a better understanding of who they are, which translates into clearer criteria for potential partners. The importance of transparent communication increases.
Common priorities include companionship and sexual attraction, as evidenced by the prevalence of passionate love and friendship-based love across most love theories. We all think we have a type, but it changes as we grow older. Many people spend years of their lives looking for the perfect partner based on the ‘criteria’ they set decades earlier. It’s quite often the case that your 20-year-old and 30-year-old self could not be more different.
Dating people with kids
Inclinations to date people who already have children change with age, but the change is not unidirectional. A young woman might not consider dating a man with kids because she wants children of her own. An older woman who does have children might have nothing against a blended family. However, it depends on the person. A woman with less experience might be open to helping take care of someone else’s children, while an older woman who’s been down that road will not take it upon herself again.
Playing games
Time puts pressure on people to find a relationship. Many daters in their 20s are busy partying and socializing. They might be chasing someone who shows no interest in them or vice versa, toying with a smitten young man or woman. People start valuing time more as they get older and are no longer interested in blind chasing or playing games. While relationships take work and compromise, one can’t afford to compromise when it comes to time after a certain point in one’s life.
Younger people are emotionally driven, and older people are more logical. If logic tells them they’re spending time with or on someone without a feasible end goal, they are more likely to know when to exit the game.
Tendencies across generations
A relationship questionnaire completed by 5,434 dating app users revealed people of all ages valued interpersonal communication more than sexual attraction. Still, women valued it to a far greater extent than men, with the difference most pronounced among the youngest online daters. While older users still valued sex appeal, it was slightly less important to them than it was to younger people.
FAQ
How do dating intentions change?
Younger individuals may be more open to casual encounters, exploring different relationship dynamics, and enjoying the experience without a defined end goal. Some older daters often prioritize meaningful connections, long-term compatibility, and shared values over casual flings. However, it’s not set in stone. An older person who’s put one or more serious relationships behind them might not want to be tied down again, while a younger man or woman might be looking for someone to start a family with.
Is there ever a shift of priorities that’s valid for everyone?
As people grow older, they usually have a better understanding of who they are, which translates into clearer criteria for potential partners. This tends to be true for most. Older daters often look for partners who share similar life goals.
People of all ages are rejecting clichés. A 2024 survey of Canadian singles found that just 40% believed in the old adage, “Once a cheater, always a cheater.” 35% subscribed to “you’ll just know when you’ve met The One,” and only 27% co-signed off “opposites attract.”
Over time, the importance of transparent communication increases. Older daters tend to value honesty and are more willing to have deeper conversations about expectations, boundaries, and future aspirations.
Transparency is important to young daters in 2025. One dominant online dating trend, “loud looking,” has marked a shift toward fundamental transparency in profiles.