I've been with my fiancé for over six years now. We've always been very public about all our love for each other. My mom always used to yell at me, "Stop hanging on him!"
Welp, my response to that was always no. I won't stop showing him how much I love him just because other people are around. If that makes you uncomfortable, there's an underlying reason (probably jealousy)...
Personally, I think it's important to show PDA. Many (MANY) girls want a man that will show them off, and what better way to do that than by showing the love in public? Now, I'm not saying you should shove your tongue down your S.O.'s throat every time you have a family gathering. But, "hanging on" them is something many people enjoy.
I like having my hand on his knee at the table. I like holding hands pretty much all the time. He plays with my hair in public and holds me, and we like that. We're a "clingy" couple, but in my opinion, the best ones are. We're never too far away from each other and many people always tell me how much they wish they already had their person like I do.
So, no. I'm not stopping.
I enjoy hugging and side-hugging no matter where we are. There's nothing inappropriate about other people knowing you love your S.O., no matter what people say. People that yell at me for it honestly make me wonder what they want from me?
Do you want me to be 100% platonic, not ever touching him in public? Do you want me to sit on the other side of the table, in the back seat of the car? Are you not allowed to know that we love each other? How in the world does it OFFEND you that we love each other?
I really don't get it. But, to each their own. For us, we'll continue to do what we do and guess what... WE'LL EVEN SHOW AFFECTION IN FRONT OF OUR KIDS! Cue the gasps, and negative comments.
Showing affection is a natural, healthy way of expressing emotions. Whether it's in front of family, friends, or our future children, it's important that they see what we feel. It's sort of a "bond" thing that makes us feel closer to each other and the people around us see our bond growing and improving.
We enjoy it. We want our kids to understand that it's okay to love other people. It's important to love other people and show how much you love them.
If you keep wasting your energy getting offended, that has no effect on me what-so-ever. I hope one day that you find someone you WANT to show PDA with it. It's honestly the best feeling ever, knowing that you're loved so much that your S.O. wants the whole world to know.
How can you not want that?