A Thanksgiving gathering the poster helped organize devolved into chaos after his 8-year-old nephew repeatedly attacked him and other family members, leaving relatives shaken and prompting several to say they will avoid future events where the child is present.
The poster told a Reddit community that the boy has a long history of violent behavior, describing past incidents that included attacking relatives and confrontations at school and with authorities. He said the child had previously threatened and physically harmed the family, including an episode that left their grandmother hospitalized.
On Thanksgiving the trouble began early. The man says the nephew was jumping on furniture, swearing and repeatedly striking him in the head despite multiple requests to stop and follow the house rules. When other relatives tried to intervene, the boy's behavior escalated and he began targeting other family members.
"After telling him repeatedly to knock it off and respect the rules of our house, he just wouldn't listen," the poster wrote. "He eventually got worse and attacked my brother, causing a drink to spill on our carpet."
According to the account, the child continued to hit the poster for more than three hours during the meal. The host and his parents attempted to calm and redirect the boy, and the poster warned him he would be unwelcome at future visits and would not receive Christmas presents if the behavior continued. The warnings did not stop the attacks.
Matters reached a breaking point when the poster tried to physically remove the child from the area. He says he picked the boy up by the shoulders and brought him to his sister, at which point the child allegedly laughed, said "This is fun," and head-butted him in the face.
When the sister, who misread the moment, told the poster to stop because she thought he was choking her son, he set the child down. The boy then punched the poster in the face, and the poster says he briefly restrained him to prevent further violence. After loosening his hold at the sister's request, the child struck him again.
The poster described verbal threats from the child as well. He quoted the boy as saying, "F--- you uncle [name]" and warning, "Next time he sees me I'm dead." The sister ultimately took her son home and the gathering ended early with relatives upset and shaken.
Physically, the poster said he sustained a bruised face, a damaged nose and a severe headache. Emotionally, he described feeling heartbroken after spending months planning the holiday, taking time off work and paying for the meal. He said one brother stayed afterward to help clean up and expressed sympathy for the effort that had been ruined.
The poster said his mother blamed him for "escalating" the situation, while he argued that inconsistent consequences had enabled the child's behavior. He also noted the boy has attended counseling and appeared to improve with previous therapists, which had given him hope the holiday might be calm.
Still, the poster and his wife concluded they could no longer be around the child. "My wife said my nephew is a liability and sooner or later would seriously hurt me or her," he wrote. He added that this was the third time the boy had attacked him at a family event and required restraining. Several siblings reportedly agreed and said they would avoid gatherings where the child was present, citing safety concerns for their own children.
The poster acknowledged the family strain this decision creates. "I love my mother and sister and didn't want to break their hearts," he wrote, "but I refuse to continue to be attacked and abused with my nephew receiving no repercussions." He said he is still processing the events and uncertain about the family's future dynamics.
