Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. Madonna and Guy Ritchie. Your old high school English teacher and... your best buddy?! Hey, it could happen. These days, if an older woman wants a baby, she can have one.

There will always be the Traditional Tina, scoping out an older fella who’s "on her maturity level" as she likes to think- and who's willing to play provider. But what of the ever-growing population of footloose women with their crazy cradle-robbing ways? Is this another Maggie May, who, as Rod Stewart tells it, will "wreck your bed, and in the morning kick you in the head?" Or is she some lonely desperado, hoping to latch on to a kinder, gentler generation of men? Here are some insights as to why some women prefer to date younger guys.

Not every girl wants a father figure. Often, a man who’s older than you assumes a protective and paternal role; and to many women, this is a real turn-off. Why? Well, for starters, we already have a daddy! Not to mention, the woman who holds a high-paying exec job Monday through Friday may have some trouble playing Helpless Heather on the weekends. She's used to taking care of herself, speaking on her own behalf, and yes, even paying her own way without the help of Daddy Warbucks.

Younger men are often better in bed. Ahh, the cruel irony of life. Remember sex with your college girlfriend? That 21-year-old ‘fraidy cat is now a tigress of temptation. Something funny happens to women as they age. Their testosterone levels increase; oddly enough, around the same time that men’s are plummeting. The hormone surge gives ladies a libido lift, which is why women in their 30s and 40s just want to get busy. Meanwhile, our same-age male counterparts are busy studying the inside of their eyelids. Need I say more?

Younger guys look up to an older, successful woman. Let’s talk about those corporate power babes again. Sometimes, it's lonely at the top... but not when there's a starry-eyed cutie-pie smiling up at you! There's something to be said for having a younger guy who admires you for your accomplishments. It makes you feel great, and the sad fact is, you can’t always get that kind of respect from an older man. Baby Boomers may love Donna Reed, but guys born later can understand and better appreciate women who go after their dreams.

The metrosexual male is our cup of tea. Nothing like having your boy over for some afternoon delight and finding out he borrowed your loofah in the shower. The New Generation of open-minded guys is A-OK in our book! This guy can whip up a Thai stir-fry using organic ingredients, grooms his fingernails and his toenails, is politically-correct to a fault, and won’t eat Starkist if it might harm the baby dolphins. To the 40-something who grew up with Archie Bunker, he's a breath of fresh air.

Girls just want to have fun. Some of us are downright immature, and we’re not afraid to say it! Perhaps "young at heart" is the better term, but the point is this: some old gals really do just want to have fun. Lots of broads who are pushing fifty still rock out at concerts, drive 70 mph with the top down, stay out all night, flip people off when necessary, and generally wreak havoc. That’s not to say we can’t find a man of ANY age to engage in juvenile antics with us... but, well, the younger ones just seem more willing to join in the fun.

Some women are late bloomers. Embarrassing as it may be, plenty of chicks spend the better part of their 20s mired in self-doubt and confusion. Instead of kicking back like they should have, the rainclouds of pessimism hung around to dampen their fun and turn them into neurotic freaks. Ten years later, some of those very same basketcases have mellowed into chill ladies who are just now ready to embrace life to the fullest. If this involves cavorting with young fellas in ways they never thought possible, all the better! Better late than never, right girls?

Guys in their prime are ohhhh, so fine. If you had to choose between a thick, juicy steak and some shriveled up beef jerky, which one would you pick? In the same way that men can't help looking at supple young girls, we ladies find ourselves drawn to guys under thirty. Younger men have tight bodies, bright eyes, great smiles, and usually a crowd of buddies to keep them laughing and pumped for excitement. What's the alternative? The balding bachelor with a beer gut who sits home smoking stogies and listening to Springsteen's Glory Days on repeat mode? No, thanks!

In all seriousness, it shouldn’t matter the age of two people who mutually respect and enjoy each other’s company. We love who we love, not matter what their age or what they look like. If an older woman and a younger man feel comfortable having a relationship, then no one has the right to criticize them. To the lady who simply likes a quick fling with a hot young stallion? Here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson.

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.