We have seen that awkward moment on the dating reality show Date My Family when a woman says "he's too young for me" and then she refuses to go on a second date with that particular person. Well, if you feel that age is nothing but a number, you have to read this article to get all the tea.

Whether you are considering dating an older man or woman, you should be aware of certain things, such as they are often the type of people who are not here to play around when it comes to dating.

Be prepared that depending on what stage of their life they are, they might be more mature in certain areas of their lives than you are.

Here are five things you should know when entering a relationship with an older man or woman:

Expect that they know what they want – and they might expect the same from you

Whether it is to have a serious relationship or just a fling, they will tell you what it is they are looking for. It is therefore important to get clarity early in the relationship to know where you stand. Remember, older men and women tend to not beat around the bush – so, playing games in dating might be off the cards for them. It is important to know how to communicate your needs and with confidence.

Their ambitions and yours might differ

Depending on whether they have small or adult children, or perhaps that they are at a certain point of their careers, their look on the future and what’s important to you might differ. An important thing you must ask yourself is where you stand on dealbreakers like your values, having children and whether or not this person will want to support your dreams.

They might have more or little free time for you

This depends on factors such as whether they have small or adult children, whether they own their own businesses, is a big shot at a corporate company, or is retired. Depending on how you want to spend time with your significant other, you will have to talk to this person and perhaps compromise on what both of you want.

Expect that you’ll have cultural differences

Their political stance might differ vastly from yours. They might also not be interested in things like watching trendy TV shows or reality shows like you do. Keep an open mind, but also watch their behaviour to see if they are openminded to your interests and/ or views.

You might have to deal with exes or your partner's children

You can during your conversations on dates with this person ask how close this person is with their exes and children, and how they manage time to see their exes and children. In some instances, the person might have a good co-parenting relationship with their ex, and in another case, they might have baby mama dramas or baby daddy issues. Consider if you have the nerves of steel to deal with this and keep the communication lines open about how you can be involved.

Sources: Betterhelp, Oprah Daily, Women24.com

Watch the dating reality show Date My Family on Sundays at 5pm on Mzansi Magic.