In a now-viral post, u/SupportiveHusbandnot has received more than 18,000 upvotes since January 2. More than 6,000 Reddit users have commented on the lengthy thread.
Newsweek has reached out to parenting expert Caroline Rowett, who has suggested a few ways in which the man can make it up to his niece.
The Redditor explained that the schoolgirl enjoys crafts and for Christmas, she made him a crocheted animal. “But if I’m being honest, it looked REALLY REALLY bad,” he wrote.
“I couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and I couldn’t stop laughing no matter how hard I tried to suppress it,” the Redditor added, “so I had to excuse myself to go to the washroom, where I locked myself for nearly 10 minutes.”
The uncle went on to tell other users his niece was in tears and wouldn’t accept his apology. She called him a “liar” when he said he liked the present, and she added that she “sucked at art.”
“My niece avoided me for the vast majority of the party after that. I tried to make her feel better by displaying her gift on my living room cabinet, but my wife pulled me aside later in the day and told me to take it down after the party because it was in her words, “really ugly” and made her uncomfortable.”
The uncle finished the post by saying the adults were understanding, but he feels guilty for destroying his niece’s confidence.
Expert Advice
Exclusively speaking to Newsweek, Rowett of Caroline Rowett Parenting Coaching in London said: “His niece knows her uncle’s thoughts on her gift, so there is no point in pretending otherwise! An honest, sincere apology is the starting point.
“If the uncle considers what he may want to hear in the same situation, he will know what to say. After apologizing, he can begin to repair their relationship in creative ways,” Rowett added.
“He could insist she teaches him to crochet, for example. Ideally, activities that get them laughing together will help to release the hurt she felt and any tension that has built up.
“So that she doesn’t (as one reader commented can happen) stop creating because of this setback, it’s valuable for her uncle to find opportunities to appreciate her positive characteristics,” she said.
“From what he says, she is creative, thoughtful, and generous, and letting her know that he thinks this (and other good things) of her will help rebuild trust and her self-esteem.”
What Do the Comments Say?
Thousands of Reddit users have commented on the thread, and they are outraged.
The top comment has racked up 38,200 upvotes and read: “She’s twelve and she worked really hard on something. Man, it breaks my heart just to think about her getting laughed at. Poor kiddo.”
Another Redditor posted: “Laughing at a gift somebody was looking forward to giving you is just mean. You’ve likely permanently damaged your niece’s self-image with your inappropriate reaction.”
Another user wrote: “she’s a child and you made fun of her work. Furthermore, you laughed for 10 minutes, what is wrong with you.”
Newsweek reached out to u/SupportiveHusbandnot for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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