happy happy hand flapping

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That's true that people always stare at someone who flaps his hands. I don't do that but I know an Aspie who does. What I never understood, does this start to be seen as weird only when one gets older or is it already considered unusual when children do it?

I think it is unusual for children, it's just that doing socially unacceptable things when you're a child is... well, more acceptable. The older you get the narrower the range of acceptable behaviors gets. So in a five year old it may just be seen as a cute quirk, but in an adult it's seen as quite alarming.

I know the other children found my flapping strange because I remember a fellow kindergartner asking me if I was trying to "fly away".

Yes, I can remember as a child I would flap my hands as a means of pretending upon something that I had seen on television even if my mom would think I was doing something strange with my hands. Well, that does it for this reply.


ProfessorX

I only flap my hand when I am very stressed, and I only do this with my left hand. The only hand movement I do when happy is to click my fingernails together, I have always got in a lot of trouble for this though, so do not tend to do it that much now.

flappity flappity...

I sometimes shake my hands when I'm stressed, agitated etc.

As for allowable behaviour, kids don't generally flap, and flapping seems violent, uncontrollable, and foreign, so people get scared, etc....

Frankly, I was surprised to see any of you do it. I don't mean that as an insult, just an explanation.

BTW. You guys and gals CAN stop it, right?

And does it REALLY give you so much enjoyment? I really am curious.

Steve

Well it's compulsive but it's not a completely automatic movement. If I'm feeling on guard at all then I don't flap- same as I don't say everything that pops into my head, and I don't scratch every itch in public. I flap my hands when I'm alone and when I'm around people I feel comfortable with. I wouldn't do it in a business meeting. ...on the other hand, I didn't even realize I did it at all until a few weeks ago, so maybe I have been doing it at inappropriate times all along. I don't think I have. I hope not.

The other day I was really hungry and I opened my fridge and saw a big juicy piece of chicken from dinner the night before. I took a big bite of it, and it was delicious, and I flapped my hands.

Yes, it makes me happy. It's like smiling.

An expression of joy or excitement!

I flap when I'[m stressed.

I can stop it but I prefer not to when I'm alone. I'm like that with any other stim, really...

I flap when i'm happy about something. I don't feel like flapping when i'm sad. I only flap when i'm alone.

I used to flap my right index finger, when I was going through my Austin Powers phase. I did that on purpose, though.

My wife only flapped when upset. I do it mainly to stimulate
images, which makes me happy. I do a more subdued version
when EITHER very happy or upset.