This phrase tends to be used as a rebuttal when debating whether if people should date someone older than themselves and to some extent it’s true.

Age isn’t necessarily a problem for everyone, as long as everyone in the relationship is consenting and of legal age, but issues can come later on. The problem that typically comes with dating someone older is that they aren’t on the same page in life. Someone who is 20 isn’t going to have the same values as someone who is in their 40s. Clearly 

Someone who is young and just starting off in life is usually going to want to experience it. Whether that’s going to school, traveling, or joining the night scene. Whereas someone who is already in the 40s or even just 10 years older may be already past that or over that life.

Older people are usually already in an established life and while some of them may enjoy having fun, their definition of fun may highly contrast to someone younger than them. Partying may not be their thing, they might not even enjoy the idea of sitting down and binge watching a show.

Someone whose older may want to go for the next step and get married or move in together, most young people aren’t ready for that.

Age isn’t the problem, the issue is experience, if both groups aren’t on the same page they more than likely won’t have the same needs.

So if you want to date someone older or younger than do it, but remember where you both are at life can greatly affect the results.