Our older boys are great at following directions and have never been aggressive, so JTA was a breeze when they were younger. Our youngest, on the other hand, has disability-related issues that make it difficult for him to self-regulate - he can get very excited and carried away. He's not violent, but he just didn't have the self-control to play with swords and lightsabers from ages 3-7, so our swords and lightsabers went into the attic. Then, the lightsabers gradually reappeared under supervision, with a focus on the light side of the force. At WDW, we distracted him when walking past JTA for years. When he finally noticed it and expressed interest, we just watched the show. Then at home, we watched youtube videos of the show together and talked about what kids needed to do to participate. Understanding the process of JTA and becoming familiar with the routine really helped him to stay calm and focused on the directions. It was a long road, but necessary for him to be successful, and for the other kids participating not to be disrupted. He finally participated this year and did really well - he was so proud! But it took a lot of preparation, so I'd agree it's good for OP's nephew to sit out this time around - so many other Star Wars things to do! I do wonder whether he would like to watch the show. At least in the old version, they really focused on the message of rejecting anger and always turning to the light side of the Force - it was a great way to reinforce the lessons we teach at home.
