Melissa Gilbert now feels ‘nauseated’ by age difference with ‘Little House on the Prairie’ husband

NY Post ^ | 11/17/25 | Eric Todisco

[Wuli]

In 1908 my maternal grandmother was 16 when she married my maternal grandfather who was then 23. They were both from large farm families in rural southern Illinois. I am sure no one among their families, friends and relatives thought their age difference was strange. And, by the way, there was no divorces in their families then or after that time.

It is terribly wrong and unjust for Melissa Gilbert to pass judgement on the ages of marriages in the past, when there is so much wrong with so many marriages today, compared to back then, which suggests age at marriage was not the problem Gilbert thinks it was. Young people were actually more mature at 16 than are most teens today.

[Gay State Conservative]

IIRC Bill Belichick,the greatest NFL coach of all time,is 70+ and his girlfriend is around 25. That’s nauseating IMO.

[Gay State Conservative]

Ooops...missed your post. I made the same point in Post #42

[marktwain]

The Victorian formula for the “perfect age” of a wife was one half the husband’s age plus seven.

For a husband of 18, the age of the wife would be 16.
For a husband of 20, the age of the wife would be 17.
For a husband of 30, the age of the wife would be 22.

Husbands were expected to be older than wives.

So I read, I do not recall the source.

Here is a source which shows the optimim age difference for reproductive success is a wife six years younger than her husband.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-best-age-difference-for-husband-and-wife/

[SubVet72]

I was 32 and my wife 23 when we got married. Just celebrated 42 years of marriage.

[ronniesgal]

Megyn Kelly did not say anything wrong.
Epstein and his pals are not pedos, just likes young girls.
The guys who fly to Bangkok to bang 8 year olds are pedos.

[JBW1949]

A “golddigger” and a stupid fool.....

[Ge0ffrey]

Now she tells us! After cashing all those checks!

[pnz1]

Best I can tell Almanzo was 23 and Laura 16 when he began “courting” her and they weren’t married till she was 19 and he was 26. So sounds like it’s the show creators she has issues with?

[Gay State Conservative]

I’m about his age and my girlfriend is 12 years younger and sometimes I wonder if I’m robbing the cradle.

[pnz1]

I read the books many times. I never got a “creepy” feeling over Laura and Almanzo? I actually thought he seemed to be very respectful. I do keep in mind, these books were geared for younger people.

[pnz1]

Congratulations!

[woodbutcher1963]

First thing I thought of too.

Boy, she must really not like Bill Belichick.

[TN4Trump]

If she was 15 then her complaint should be about her parents. They were in control. They allowed and probably encouraged her acting on Little House. Now it makes her nauseated. It must be difficult for her to realize how she was exploited by her own parents.

[ryderann]

It wasn’t too long ago when a young man had to ask a girl’s father for her hand in marry, and pass approval. He had to prove to the father that he could support the girl and their children. This meant he had to have been out of school for several years, working at a decent-paying job, have money in the bank, etc. This means he would be about ten years older than the girl.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

Absolutely stupid. I’ve researched great world leaders, it wasn’t unusual for men to be at least 10 years older than their wives. Men mature slower, need time to work and prepare a career of finances to provide for a wife.

[roving]

She looks a lot older than 61.

[Bullish]

Oh Geeze, what a dumb thing to get bent about.

How about the 40+ year differences between middle east muslims and their child brides, Melissa?

[packrat35]

I really hate when these actors and actresses get wok and $hit on their past work for current attention.

[packrat35]

She is right. I am sick of people comparing 17 year olds with 5 years olds.