For me personally I never stay friends with exes. I do not speak to any of my exes.It is not because I do not like thme anymore or think they would not make good friends (some of them)it's just that I shared myself with them so intimately and developed a close bond with most of my exes that I could not go back in time and erase that all to be friends with them.

From personal experience way back it causes a bit of trouble when you get a new partner in many cases and it is one thing no one needs unless you absolutely love drama which I do not. In saying all of this though, I have seen cases where it works for exes to stay friends (kids involved mainly) and both adults are willing to bury the hatchett for the sake of the kids and stay friends but ultimately without children involved I find it personally not doable for me.

You need that time to grieve even if you are the one that inititaed the break up, to come to know yourself again outside of the relationship you were in and your life changes. Break ups are very hard and painful. Anyhow I am waffling a bit here, ultimately the answer is no for me.

You love whom you love. My ex is 50 and I am 34 was 32 when we met. We never split because of the age difference. It never was an issue for me personally and I loved her very much. I feel it depends on the maturity of both partners at the time ( Some 50 year olds can be immature and irresponsible too) believe it or not.