Son threatened brother with a knife - am I overreacting?

[MrsMuddlePluck]

Started ft work 8 weeks ago. Father works afh a lot & is currently abroad. 2 of my 3 sons don't get along. Older son has a short temper & is very sensitive. Younger one goads him to distraction.

This evening I came home from work at 5:30 to find out that younger had threatened older with a kitchen knife and a hammer; for eating one of 'his' chicken steaks.

I've decided that I have to ask work to allow me to leave at 3 so I can be at home when younger one comes home from school. Things have been bad between the boys for a while, but definitely worse since I started ft.

Am I right to try to cut my hours or possibly give up work, as I don't want to risk a horrible incident. I worked pt (3 or 4 hours pd) for 2 years so was always home for them before.

What age are they?

I once chased my db round the kitchen table with a knife. Never managed to get him, he lived to annoy me another day. He was fucking annoying. Love him to bits.

Um, if it was threatened in any serious sense I'd consider calling the police. (I mean not just sitting at the opposite side of the table waving a knife in the air in a jokey way.) That's what would happen if he threatened someone not in his family, no? I fought with my brother all the time but we wouldn't pull knives on each other

I think most kids would appreciate a parent being home after school even if they're too old to admit it. But do you need to be full time for career/money purposes?

You can't just let this lie. They're telling you they need you. I hope you all work it out.

In response to everyone so far: ES18, MS16, YS13.

I don't need to be ft I suppose. Lucky enough to have a DH who has always been able 'to provide', but I'd like to contribute some ££ too.

He (YS13) waved the hammer at him, then used the bread bin lid as a shield & went after ES18 with the knife. When es18 & ms16 left the room, ys13 came in with the meat knife.

I spoke to the older 2 separately to try to find out if it really was as they said & they stuck to the story. Ys13 swears he won't do it again & apologised to es18, but I'm wary of leaving them on their own now.

There's always the chance that es18 will retaliate & I don't like being away from them in case something else does happen.

Es18 & ys13 wind each other up a lot & there's often screaming & door banging when they are together, usually from es18.

Tbh with 3 boys I was expecting fisticuffs, not hissy fits & knives.

I thought you were going to say much younger

Yes, I think I'd expect them to be wrestling on the floor but this sounds serious. Do you think he'll have learnt the lesson that this isn't normal/acceptable/insert word of choice