For years, men have been criticized for dating younger women – particularly women who could qualify to be their daughters.

Some may blame this ploy on men’s “mid-life crisis,” aka their denial of beer bellies and whitening and disintegrating hair.

But, ultimately, while some men turn to expensive sports cars, many befriend hot young ladies to patch the ever-so-balding spots that naturally come with age.

The mystery behind the fantasy of young women seems simple to the naked eye: Women love mature men who don’t laugh if they hear the word “penis” and have intelligence beyond crushing beer cans on their foreheads.

Another attractive quality about these older men is that they’re comfortable enough with their own sexuality to participate in certain activities, such as yoga, grocery shopping and attending the ballet.

Just look at our society’s role models – celebrities. Katie Holmes, 26, probably got engaged to Tom Cruise, 43, for the simple fact that he was unlike most guys her own age who were still trapped inside bars and clubs and xBoxes.

The same can probably be said for Kate Hudson, 26, who married Chris Robinson, 40, along with tons of celebrities, like Hilary Duff, 18, and boyfriend Joel Madden, 26, in addition to Catherine Zeta Jones, 36, and husband Michael Douglas, 61. Celine Dion, 37, chose her manager, Rene Angelil, 63, to be her prince. According to imdb.com, the pair met when Dion was only 12, making Angelil 38!

Maybe this ongoing trend stems from the theory that a woman’s quest to find a suitable mate is connected directly to her father, as well as her parents’ marriage.

Women look for partners who resemble their fathers in some fashion, and the relationship with their husbands resembles aspects of their parents’ marriage.

Who knows, really. We could just as easily attribute it to women’s desire to be nurtured and have lasting stability.

Now, imagine flipping the trend noted above to the other side. Can the same principles be applied?

Look at Ashton Kutcher, 27, and his wife, Demi Moore, 43. That’s quite a gap considering her ex-husband, Bruce Willis, who is only three years her senior.

And what about Justin Timberlake, 24, and his gal pal Cameron Diaz, 33? There are tons of other celebs setting the stage for us, such as Eva Longoria, 30, and her famous basketball sweetheart Tony Parker, 23 as well as Sandra Bullock, 41, and her biker husband Jesse James, 36.

Why are these women attracted to younger men? Is it fair to say that maybe these women are experiencing a “mid-life crisis,” too?

Are older women who date younger men hoping that their partners won’t notice the love handles and wrinkles that come with age?

It’s not every day that you see a woman buying a sports car or motorcycle to feel the zest of youth again.

John Molloy, author of “Why Men Marry Some Women and Not Others,” has remarkable data to suggest why these women are going after younger dudes.

He and his research team found “most men will not even consider marriage before they reach the age of commitment,” which for college men is around the minimum age of 26.

Molloy says the “high-commitment period” for most men that attended college ranges between 28-33.

For men who attend graduate school and aspire to become doctors and lawyers, Molloy says the “high-commitment period” is even higher, ranging from ages 30-36.

And finally, Molloy and his team found that “after age 37 or 38, the chance that a man will commit diminishes. After 43, it diminishes even more.”

What a sad tale for us women! Or is it? Maybe the women cradle robbers are onto something. Get them while they’re ready and able!

But, one common trend Molloy weaves together is both men and women have biological clocks.

Both genders can sense when their opportunities are ticking away. Both genders have family plans. Both genders rob the cradle.

Personally, I would prefer to marry a man who, cross my fingers, won’t die before I or my children do. But, all the hype surrounding the scope of ages doesn’t bother me.

To put it in Aaliyah’s words, “Age ain’t nothing but a number.”

Stacy Seebode is a senior journalism and dance major. She can be reached at [email protected].