i need advice.. sigh...

:( i'm really new to this.... i'm dating a man that is 25 years older than me.. i'm 18 he's 43.. i love him to pieces and i kno he loves me just as much... our relationship isn't physical.. and we have so many things in common its amazing! i'm just concerned because i live at home still and my parents are only older than him by 5 and 7 years! they have no idea that he and i are in a relationship and i'm really worried what they are gonna say when they find out. i know that they wont accept it.. he and i really dont care what other people say. we care about each other.. but i get really depressed sometimes because so many people tell me that i should be with someone my age. they say i should be with someone my own age because its like "dating your dad" and i really hate that.. trust me.. he is nothing like my father... we are each others best friends and i never want to loose him. my other concern is that my parents might assume that something was going on while i was still under age.. we met when i was 17 about 3 months before my 18th b-day. we were just friends. we never thought that we'd fall for each other.. i dunno .. i'm just really confused right now... i really could use some help.. thanks

All you can do is follow your heart and be careful with it. You can't please people with your relationship, you can only please yourself. Good luck :)

When I started dating my now husband, I was 19 and he was 41. Just like you I was living at home. My mom is 4 years older than him and needly to say that has been a problem. My parents still do not like him. I heard all the same comments I am sure you are hearing. However..
We have been married 3.5 years and it has been incredibly wonderful. I can not imagine my life without him. We started off as friends and slowly over time I realized I loved him. Listen to what peoplesay, thank them for their concern, and then follow your own heart.
If you want to talk to me send me a message and I would be glad to e-mail.
Good Luck.

18 and living at home... it won't be easy. One reality is that you haven't (through no fault of your own) yet evidenced "growing up" and living independently. In that sense, you are being viewed - and treated - as a child.

I say that not to discourage you... but merely to suggest it "makes sense" that a lot of people including your parents may not accept your decisions. It will be hard, but it also doesn't make sense to get mad at them or upset over their thinking.

You say you don't care what other people think, but then say you get depressed because so many people think you should date someone your age. So you do care what others think - and that's perfectly natural.

Sometimes taking the time to understand how others think can help us deal with it... and there's a little magic in that... because when you take that time and people see it, you suddenly look smarter to them.

Faced with negativity, don't automatically draw your sword. Ask a lot of questions, listen intently. That doesn't obligate you to agree with them or to do what they want, but it does make them believe you respect their opinion and are thoughtful about your choices.