A woman has fallen in love with a man 26 years older than her after meeting him when she worked as a nanny for his children.
Lauren Goodrich, 24, and Aaron Campbell, 50, began their relationship after Lauren worked as a nanny for Aaron’s children, Madelena, 21, Emma, 20, Elijah and Ike, 14.
The pair met when nurse assistant Lauren was hired as a carer for Aaron’s terminally ill daughter, Tori, 17.
The two didn’t just into a relationship straight away, as Lauren was engaged and author Aaron was married.
However, things took a more romantic turn for the couple after their repective relationships broke down and Tori passed away in 2014, due to a rare genetic neurological disease, Metochromatic Leukodystrophyin.
Aaron and Lauren spent six months apart while he grieved the tragic death of his daughter but, after Lauren’s fiancé jilted her at the altar, the couple were reunited when Aaron hired her as a nanny for his four other children.
They became close friends first, even going on double dates together before realising they had chemistry between themselves.
Even though Aaron is just four years older than Lauren’s father, the couple say their families support their relationship.
Lauren, from Salt Lake City, Utah, US, said: ‘I love my family and trusted they would be supportive as they have been.
‘After 18 months, my father is still acclimating to the idea that I’m dating an older man but Aaron is incredibly charming and treats me so well that they know I’m extremely happy.
‘My younger brothers and sisters have accepted Aaron with open arms, and even make age gap jokes when we are all together.
‘They can be quite savage, and we all have a good laugh at the situation.’
Aaron, from Orem, Utah, USA, added: ‘Even though I’d known Lauren for three years, I had no idea how my parents, siblings and children would react to the news that I was dating the nanny.
‘It was such a cliché and quite stressful trying to keep it a secret.
‘I know how I would have reacted had my 22-year-old daughter told me she was dating an older man.
‘It probably wouldn’t have been a good day for him.
‘We like to joke that because her father is a hunter, sportsman and military man, I should have been very worried.
‘Thank goodness Lauren’s mother has able to help him persuade him that we are in a healthy, normal relationship that is better than most relationships despite the age difference.’
However, not everyone they encounter has been as supportive, with some assuming Lauren is a ‘gold-digger’ and Aaron is ‘taking advantage’.
Lauren said: ‘Aaron is much more self-conscious about what people think and feel than I am.
‘I love him and haters are going to hate, so I don’t really care much about false stigmas because I know the truth.’
Aaron added: ‘People jump to the conclusion that Lauren is probably a homewrecker or gold-digger, and I’m somehow being manipulative and taking advantage of Lauren, but that’s not true.
‘It does take thick skin to be in an age gap relationship.
‘People are naturally curious and it is awkward when people first meet us.
‘I use humour to let others know we recognize it is a weird, unconventional situation.’
The happy couple are hoping to get engaged soon, and are happy to share their story to help deconstruct the misconceptions that surround age gap relationships like theirs.
Lauren said: ‘It doesn’t take more than a few encounters for most people to shed these assumptions and see that me and Aaron are genuinely best friends living a meagre, modest lifestyle doing our best to advance a normal, healthy relationship despite the age differences.’
Aaron added: ‘My children are happy that their dad is with a woman they had known for almost four years and had grown to love.
‘That isn’t to say that things don’t get weird from time to time as Lauren tries to find the balance between being a slightly older peer, dad’s girlfriend and possible future stepmother.’
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