According to Urban Dictionary you are a cougar if you're over 35 and, I guess, into dudes younger than that. I don't know if it specifies how much younger.

Maybe that is why my 35 year old female cow-worker is stressing about dating a 31 year old. If I dated, I wouldn't really think someone was too young for me unless they acted too young for me (or were, you know, under 18). This same coworker is also dating a 50 year old man.

31 and 35 is totally reasonable! Is she nuts?

What's the rule? Divide by 2 plus 7?

Oh, and when I say "old enough to be his mother," I mean in a possible and general sense -- even though some girls may menstruate at 9, I think "old enough to be his mother" doesn't really start until she's say 13 years older. And even then it's a stretch.

Oh, and when I say "old enough to be his mother," I mean in a possible and general sense

That's what I use too. Mostly to freak out the young people.

The "half-your-age-plus-seven rule" is rule of thumb defining a mathematical formula to judge whether the age difference in an intimate relationship is socially acceptable

Yep, Jesse. I just read that. Though I can't imagine dating a 25 year old.

You can be someone's mother at a young age without being promiscuous.

I may have phrased that badly. Or too light-heartedly. Didn't intend to offend anyone.

Oh, and when I say "old enough to be his mother," I mean in a possible and general sense -- even though some girls may menstruate at 9, I think "old enough to be his mother" doesn't really start until she's say 13 years older. And even then it's a stretch.

Jesse said it better.

Though I can't imagine dating a 25 year old.

Oh you're just not imagining hard enough!!!!

(jk)

There are things we imagine and things we do, of course. And thinks we'd never imagine that we'd do... like accidentally get involved with a 19 year old guy when one is 33.

My coworker is sounding hopeful about a burrito. I may be making a burrito run.

Maybe that is why my 35 year old female cow-worker is stressing about dating a 31 year old.

That's just weird, that's the same age group.

This same coworker is also dating a 50 year old man.

I read this as 50 years older man at first. I did think that would be a bit weird.

Speaking of old enough to be their mother, my one coworker just had a little bit of freaking out when she realized she's older than our other coworker's mother. Oops! And her grandparents are about the same age as my parents.

That's just weird, that's the same age group.

I know, she was mentioning being bother by the age, so I asked her how old he was, thinking she would say something like "22", and I almost rolled my eyes when she said 31. She is recently divorced, having been married since 18, and seems to be a strict adherent to high school like age rules (no senior girl could date a freshman boy, but it could work the other way around!)