Why Men Should Date Women Their Own Age

3. Boomer women know how to cope

Many women have raised great kids (often as single parents), job-hopped to make ends meet, volunteered in their communities, gone back to school (often at night while working full time by day) and kept up long-standing friendships. No wonder they don't cut and run at the first sign of trouble in a relationship! Grit, pith, character — call it what you like, these experiences make your dinner partner unlikely to run out of lively stories any time soon.

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4. You can trust boomer women with your life

Nearly every boomer woman I've dated for more than one night has confessed "reporting back to base" — that is, to her tight-knit web of female friends — on the success of our outings. Never underestimate the crucial role this backstopping plays in a woman's life. The trust and emotional-intimacy skills that a woman develops via her female friendships often prove transferable to her relationship with a guy. I wish every boomer guy could experience how sweet it is to be involved with a woman who's not just your lover but also your best friend.

5. Boomer women can afford to be selective

Advances in earning power have freed boomer women from worrying about a man's net worth. Most guys see this as a great leap forward: We needn't "save" a woman to win her heart, while she can choose a man from love, not economic necessity.

6. Time is on their side

Both parties must invest time in a relationship if it is to thrive. That commodity is scarce to nonexistent in a woman's child-rearing years, but it tends to reappear once she has successfully fledged her children. That means she (finally!) has the time required to devote to a relationship — and to you.

Ken Solin writes about dating for AARP.