My parents are seven years apart, and not many people think much about the age difference now that they are older, married, and have children. When you are older age gaps don't really matter, but when you're younger they are potential deal breakers. My boyfriend and I are 5 years apart: I'm 19 and he's 24. We met when I was two months away from 18, and he was three months away from 23. We've been together for a year and three months, and I couldn't be happier. However, here are ways that our age difference has been both a blessing and a curse at the same time.

1. Telling Our Parents

When I asked my parents if I could go out on a date with a guy that was five years older than me, I was so nervous. I actually waited until the night before to even ask. However, my parents said yes. He picked me up and met them to make them feel more comfortable. He asked what time I needed to be home by, brought me home on time, and then spent three hours at my house talking until 2:30AM. Needless to say, my parents approved and now treat him like one of the family. He was also worried about how to tell his family that he was going out with a girl so much younger than him, but once they met me everything fell into place.

2. I Can't Go To The Bar

For many people this could be a deal breaker, but for us it was just an obstacle to work around. At first, the idea of him going out without me made me completely uncomfortable. However, I understood that it wasn't fair for him to not go out just because I couldn't. We'll both admit that he doesn't go out as much as he used to, but it's not an issue for us when he does. Although, we're still counting down until I am 21 and get to actually join him, we have compromised on this and found a way that we are both happy. If I am home, we always spend the night together. For some reason, knowing that he's coming home to me makes me feel much better.

3. Curfew

Although I am now in college and things are quite different, for the first 6-8 months this was a large difference between us. I found myself wondering why he was with me, when he could be with someone without this problem. I felt like an inconvenience. However, lucky for me he was very understanding because he was my age once and had one too. Plus, he knew that my parents were just looking out for me, and that it wouldn't last forever.

4. Completely Different Childhoods

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times that he has talked about a movie, show, or song that was way before my time. The age difference isn't that big of a deal here, but it definitely shows. He usually just explains to me what he's talking about, or makes me watch it. This is more amusing than it is a break-up potential.

5. When To Settle Down

This is not something that either of us have had originally thought about, but it's a good point. At 24, it would not be abnormal for him to start thinking about settling down, but many people would have a problem with a 19-year-old getting engaged and settling down. We talked with each other and our parents about it and figured out a timeframe that works for us. Our parents are okay with it and it's what we want, so other people's opinions don't really matter. Nobody is ever going to be 100% completely happy, so as long as we are, that's all that matters.

6. Girls Are More Mature Than Boys

We've all heard it a million times, boys mature slower than girls, so this five year difference is just right. We are on the same level of maturity and get along great!

7. He Understands Life

He's been through more of life than me, so obviously he knows more about it than me. Things like paying bills, student loans, changing a tire, and many other things. He's my go to about these kind of things, and if he doesn't know then there is always my parents. It's nice to have someone who has already been through it to help me along the way.

8. He's Past The Drinking and Partying Stage

This is huge. I see so many of my friends with guys that are more interested in living up college then actually holding a serious relationship. Thankfully, my boyfriend has already gone through all of that and come out a better person. I am happy to have a man that is ready to be in a serious relationship instead of just jumping from girl to girl with no commitment.

9. It Won't Matter In A Few Years

Like I said in the beginning, my parents are 7 years apart, and now nobody even blinks an eye at that. In the long run, our five years won't seem bad at all.

10. Not Trying To Get Established At The Same Time

Because of our age difference we aren't both graduating college at the same time and trying to get established at the same time. We aren't jumping into life at the same time. He'll be graduating from school in December, and I'll still have 5 semesters left, plus med-school. This allows him to get stabilized and established while I am still in school.

With all of this being said, as long as you're happy who cares?! Be willing to compromise and talk about things and even the curses won't seem that bad. Every relationship is going to have it's good and bad, but what matters is that the good out-weigh the bad. Be happy with who makes you happy.

Because...