What is the origin behind the phrase "Robbing The Cradle" in reference to a woman dating a younger guy?

Why do they call it that? Is it because someone is against the idea of a woman dating someone younger than her?

Thanks for all the answers, and have an awesome day!:)

In my day the term refereed to men who married much younger women, actually young girls. Years ago especially In the rural areas men married girls as young as 12 or 13 years of age. That is where the term originated. Over the years the term came to be used for any one dating someone several years younger than them selves.

10 Comments

10 Responses to “What is the origin behind the phrase "Robbing The Cradle" in reference to a woman dating a younger guy?”

  1. SummerQueen says:
    October 31, 2009 at 3:20 am

    I don’t know but it says that as if an older woman is stealing a young boy from his cradle. Like that is a weird saying…
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  2. Sienna Soprano says:
    October 31, 2009 at 3:33 am

    Here’s an explanation from Urban Dictionary:
    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=robbing+the+cradle
    References :
    http://buzzfeed.com/buzz/Robbing_the_Cradle

  3. Bee Bee says:
    October 31, 2009 at 4:05 am

    I don’t know but they use to kid my husband about doing that. and we would all get a good laugh off of it. He was 14 years older than me.
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  4. TomT says:
    October 31, 2009 at 4:27 am

    I don’t know the origin of it, but I consider it a put down or at the very least a smart aleck remark. My wife is twelve years younger than I, she was my best friend before we were married, and remains my best friend after twenty-five years of marriage. Date whomever you want and if someone has a problem with it – it’s their problem.
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  5. jimi says:
    October 31, 2009 at 4:43 am

    adult with a child thing, i believe that love has no age barrier.
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  6. Maggie says:
    October 31, 2009 at 4:54 am

    I always thought it referred to an older guy with a young girl (almost a baby).

    Since this is a very old expression I doubt it’s a woman with a young guy since women were nothing and had no right/opportunity to choose who they associated with. Their families (the men) made all the decisions.
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  7. WooLaLa ♫ says:
    October 31, 2009 at 5:37 am

    hmm, did niente tell you my age ?!?
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  8. terry b says:
    October 31, 2009 at 6:22 am

    In my day the term refereed to men who married much younger women, actually young girls. Years ago especially In the rural areas men married girls as young as 12 or 13 years of age. That is where the term originated. Over the years the term came to be used for any one dating someone several years younger than them selves.
    References :

  9. TruthSquad says:
    October 31, 2009 at 7:03 am

    I don’t know the origin, but it has nothing to do with a woman dating a younger guy. I have heard people say it of a man dating a younger woman as well. It is meant as a friendly way to tease the recipient about dating someone younger.
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  10. Satan's Sidekick says:
    October 31, 2009 at 7:33 am

    I NEVER could figure that one out for the life of me.
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