As much as we love our partners, let's face it; they can sometimes embarrass us.
While we can often brush off harmless embarrassment, like wearing their Superman gown when we have visitors or taking money out of their bra in a long queue at the supermarket, some scenarios are too much to overlook, and can even cause a rift in the relationship. That can happen in front of colleagues, friends or family.
Here are a few scenarios that can make you want to crawl into an ant hole:
Everything under the sun is being discussed, from politics to the rand and suddenly your partner feels the need to join the conversation. They completely miss the point but insist they are right, and start a big debate with everyone - even though they are talking utter nonsense.
No doubt, all these make for definite eek moments.
But what if your partner embarrasses you all the time?
Dating expert Dudu Nhlabathi says that there are different types of embarrassments.
"Sometimes, it is not so much that you are embarrassed by your partner's actions, but that you are worried that other people might be laughing at your partner - and you by extension.
"You are embarrassed that your spouse is the butt of the joke and worried about what being linked to them says about you as a person. This is called reflective embarrassment."
Nhlabathi says reflective embarrassment does not only stem from what your partner might or might not be doing, but it could also be because of your own insecurities.
". self-conscious emotions, including shame and embarrassment, are complex, and require self-reflection and self-evaluation," she says.
The second form of embarrassment, Nhlabathi says, is targeted embarrassment.
"This happens when your partner intentionally singles you out or targets you for embarrassment - with a good-natured jibe or a mean-spirited comment.
"This behaviour can sometimes be a sign of an abusive relationship, among other issues. Sometimes this occurs when a partner lets slip to a friend a personal detail you would rather have kept private. You cringe and try to shift the discussion but secretly you feel your trust has been violated. Targeted embarrassment is the most damaging of all and if left unaddressed can fester into serious relationship problems."
When bae leaves you cringing
As much as we love our partners, let's face it; they can sometimes embarrass us.
While we can often brush off harmless embarrassment, like wearing their Superman gown when we have visitors or taking money out of their bra in a long queue at the supermarket, some scenarios are too much to overlook, and can even cause a rift in the relationship. That can happen in front of colleagues, friends or family.
Here are a few scenarios that can make you want to crawl into an ant hole:
Everything under the sun is being discussed, from politics to the rand and suddenly your partner feels the need to join the conversation. They completely miss the point but insist they are right, and start a big debate with everyone - even though they are talking utter nonsense.
No doubt, all these make for definite eek moments.
But what if your partner embarrasses you all the time?
Dating expert Dudu Nhlabathi says that there are different types of embarrassments.
"Sometimes, it is not so much that you are embarrassed by your partner's actions, but that you are worried that other people might be laughing at your partner - and you by extension.
"You are embarrassed that your spouse is the butt of the joke and worried about what being linked to them says about you as a person. This is called reflective embarrassment."
Nhlabathi says reflective embarrassment does not only stem from what your partner might or might not be doing, but it could also be because of your own insecurities.
". self-conscious emotions, including shame and embarrassment, are complex, and require self-reflection and self-evaluation," she says.
The second form of embarrassment, Nhlabathi says, is targeted embarrassment.
"This happens when your partner intentionally singles you out or targets you for embarrassment - with a good-natured jibe or a mean-spirited comment.
"This behaviour can sometimes be a sign of an abusive relationship, among other issues. Sometimes this occurs when a partner lets slip to a friend a personal detail you would rather have kept private. You cringe and try to shift the discussion but secretly you feel your trust has been violated. Targeted embarrassment is the most damaging of all and if left unaddressed can fester into serious relationship problems."
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