If I were her father, I would tell you to get lost. If I were you, I would tell her father to butt out.

We know what you think. You've given us an idea of what her parents think. The only thing that really matters here is what she thinks. And no 18-year old knows anything about life.

Sorry to p*ss on your parade, but I see heartache in your future.

Interesting. It'* a "Say Anything" with just a touch of "Romeo and Juliet".

As a disinterested third party, I hope that she realizes that the farther your relationship progresses, the more she has at risk. While your risk remains the same. At her age, she is an adult living on a teenager'* time schedule. In other words, she will mature considerably in the next 2-3 years, but is now in the arena of making adult decisions. Adult decisions have bigger impact, than kid-type decisions. She could easily end up a 21yr old, living in a situation created by an 18 yr old... who was completely different than her.

Black94 and popatim, above, have the dynamic down. The higher the tension of the situation, the more likely it will be disruptive to their relationship. She wants to be an adult and they want her to be their child. Completely normal. Rest assured though, the harder they clamp down on her, the more they will drive her in your direction.

So you rachet up the tension. It is fairly easy to do.

But first, in the tradition of my graphic novel avatar, answer me a seemingly oblique question....

Do you write like you speak or do you write differently than you speak? Some people do, some people don't.

If my 17 year old daughter were 18 and dating a 26-year old, I'd beat her *** and run him out of town.

It has nothing to do with the age difference, but everything to do with WHO people are at those ages.

I have to agree with you 100%. When PDad and I met I was 19, and yes he is 7 years older than me, but at the time, he was almost finished his apprenticeship, and I was in college and living on my own. So we were already started in life.

I didn't actually mean to imply that there couldn't be a law in New York about that, Lord knows you NY'ers have some pretty jacked up legal system up there

I just meant that as far as civil suits are concerned, it doesn't have anything to do with where you are, just what you're willing to risk/sue for...

I think this gentleman has a lot to digest from all the responses on here. Nothing short of informative to say the least. Just about every generation and viewpiont has been expressed here for him to see. Ultimately, you'll just have to make a decision, but IMO you've got a good head on your shoulders and you seem to want nothing but the best for all parties. I think if you display yourself just as you do here, they will see good in you eventually.

Just curious, has she talked to you about any of this, or how she feels about it all?

Well I recently ended a relationship with a girl who is 17, and im 19, not a huge difference at all, but her parents actually refused to acknowledge our relationship until I talked to them about it. It was incredibly nerve racking at first, and as I walked down to the front door that night I felt like I was walking down to the electric chair, but it really wasnt that bad.

Just tell them that you want to be with their daughter, let them ask the questions, and you give them answers. If youre intentions are good and pure surely they would be able to see that.

If they approve, they will have a newfound respect for you because you actually took the time to talk to them about dating their daughter. If they disapprove.....sneak around behind their backs and do it anyway

What might help also is if you reassure her parents that you are using condoms. Tell her folks that you are a responsible guy and that each time you roll their daughter in the hay, it is cause you are in love.
When you guys are all sitting at dinner, tell your G/F to eat plenty, she will need the extra energy for the night of passion you are planning. This will show that you care for her health.

See, it is little things like these that can put her parents at ease.