It turns out being a cougar has a unique set of benefits. YourTango [1] dishes on what lessons can be learned from dating a younger man.

Nine women dish on what they've learned from playing cougar.

As the saying goes, "You're only as old as the man you're feeling." So, are Madonna [2], Mariah, and J-Lo all on to something with their considerably younger beaus? Or should we take a lesson from Demi and avoid robbing cradles?

We asked 10 women to tell us what they learned from dating [3] a younger guy. Read on to see what they had to say!

1. They're Not As Independent
"Most of my ex's were younger. In my opinion, it never turned out well because they were intimidated by where I was in life in comparison ... and they were also really immature. They never took the initiative, or showed confidence. They weren't as independent as I am, and sometimes I just wanted them to plan the date for once." — Pam, 25

2. They're Drama-Free
"When I have the choice, I date men who are 30 years younger than me. Men in their 30's are still about having fun, adventuring, exploring and building their career, and they appreciate a drama free connection with a woman. They don't mind the power inequity, while men who are closer to my age feel the need to battle for the position." — Paula, 67

3. They Make Great Rebounds
"I dated a guy who was 6 years my junior after a bad breakup [4]. He was basically a rebound. The sex [5] was AMAZING and his friends basically thought I was a goddess ...but I couldn't have a normal 'grownup' conversation with him at all, even about the simplest things. Introducing him to friends was a struggle, even if it was just at a chill house party. A typical introductory conversation went like this: 'What do you do, Joe?' 'I'm a student at Nassau Community College.' 'Oh what are you studying?' 'Liberal arts.' [Crickets chirping] Ultimately, as hot as he was, I just couldn't deal with how dumbed down he was." — Yasmin, 30

To find out what the other great lessons are, head to YourTango: Mind the Age Gap: 7 Valuable Lessons From Dating a Younger Guy [6]

—Danielle Page

Check out more great stories from YourTango:

• The Real Reason Older Men Like to Date Younger Women [7]
• Top 10 Cougar Dating Myths Debunked [8]
• 5 Reasons Being a Cougar Rocks [9]