Dear Wayne & Tamara,
My boyfriend and I have an 11-year age gap. He is 38, I am 27. My parents
have a problem with this. They are in their 40s and had me when they were
teenagers. It was a surprise.

My dad actually told me he wouldn’t accept it if we ever got married. We
aren’t at that point in our relationship yet, but I feel I am
shortchanging my boyfriend because I am holding back due to my parents.

We were hesitant to start dating because of our age difference, then we
realised it doesn’t matter. We have a lot in common and our maturity
level is compatible. How do I get my parents to open up to him and give
him a chance?

Wendi

Dear Wendi,

You are an adult woman, not your parents’ 17-year-old daughter. If
you had done what they did, you would now be married with a 10-year-old
child.

What is the main criterion for marriage? Love, or being the same age? If
you love him, you move forward. If you don’t, then stop dating him. But
at 27 your parents are not part of this decision.

Start acting like the adult woman you are. Your parents got to decide
where you went to school, what clothes you wore and what time you had to
come home. Those times are over.

If they did a good job parenting, they should trust you to make an adult
decision. If they didn’t do a good job parenting, why should you listen
to them now?

Wayne & Tamara