My nephew said something that made me rethink stimming in public

I was at my sister's place last weekend and my 8 year old nephew asked me why I was shaking my leg. I told him it helps me focus. He said 'cool, I do that too when I'm trying to beat a level in Minecraft.' It hit different because I've spent 35 years trying to hide my leg bouncing or hand flapping in restaurants or grocery stores. Kids don't see it as weird, they just see it as a thing people do. Made me wonder how much energy I've wasted feeling ashamed of something that's basically harmless. Has anyone else had a kid or someone younger say something that made you rethink how you act in public?

3 comments

3 Comments

troy_wilson82mo ago

Basically 35 years of hiding my weirdness from someone who plays Minecraft.

hugo2366d ago

You know what, I used to think pretending to be normal was just part of adulting, like paying taxes or something. But then my nephew asked me why I never laugh at my own jokes around him, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Felix155 is right that kids cut through the nonsense, and that conversation actually made me stop hiding my weird Star Wars trivia at the dinner table. It's amazing what a little honesty does for your sanity, even if it's just about Minecraft versus model trains.

felix1552mo ago

Well isn't that something. Kids cut right through all the nonsense we pile on ourselves as adults.