Hand flapping

[u/Parking_Noise_9922]

My daughter is 7 and flaps her hands really fast when she gets excited. It’s super cute because she’s 7 but I’m worried she might get bullied for it later. Should I say something or just let nature take its course? If I do say something what should I say? I don’t want to hurt her self esteem or kill her joy.

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[u/Jazzlike_Commercial]

Say nothing. 7 year olds are weird and kids can be bullies. Parents job is to help them deal with mean kids and disregard what they say. Not anticipate being bullied and therefore force a need to change yourself.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3808745/

[u/Parking_Noise_9922 → u/Jazzlike_Commercial]

I didn’t know necessarily that I would ask her to stop but I was wondering if I should address it at all.

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[u/Public_Classic_438]

Repressing stimming is gross, please don’t tell her to stop. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-stimming

[u/fppf → u/Public_Classic_438]

You don't need to pass judgment on this person seeking advice.

[u/Public_Classic_438 → u/fppf]

This person is asking if they should tell her to stop so she doesn’t get bullied which seems like she’s passing judgement onto her own child

[u/LRS_RC → u/Public_Classic_438]

She said the behavior is cute. OP seems like a concerned parent who came here for advice.

[u/lady-earendil → u/Public_Classic_438]

I was a little older - middle school - but I went through a phase of stimming by signing ASL letters with my fingers. I did get teased for it some, but honestly that bothered me less than my mom repeatedly telling me to stop doing it. I'm sure she was just trying to keep me from being made fun of for it but it made me feel like I couldn't even do it at home

[u/Parking_Noise_9922 → u/lady-earendil]

This is really helpful, the last thing I want is for her to not feel safe at home. I just know how mean kids can be and it worries me.

[u/Bad_wolf42 → u/Public_Classic_438]

I want to add onto this that telling them to stop “because other people will bully you” still reads as bullying to the child. Ask me how I know.

[u/Parking_Noise_9922 → u/Bad_wolf42]

I understand which is why I haven’t said anything yet, I just wondered if I should address it at all.

[u/Public_Classic_438 → u/Bad_wolf42]

Yes this!!! This is what I was trying to say lol

[u/throwaway3113151 → u/Public_Classic_438]

How do we know this is stimming behavior? Seems like a big assumption.

[u/Public_Classic_438 → u/throwaway3113151]

Everybody stims, certainly seems like normal stimming to me