How would you react if a burglar entered your home when your children are present?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We have thought about getting a gun, but decided against it, for the following reason: in the past six months at my daughter's stressful elite private school three children committed suicides (unrelated to each other), each of them with the gun of their parents.

Besides, if the gun is kept fairly secured and hidden, there might not be enough time to get it.

This is why I hate that my husband insists on having one. By the time he awoke from his sleeping stupor, opened the safe, put together the gun, the burglar will be in his face saying give me that gun. Idiot.

Under the nightstand with a fingerprint lock takes under 5 seconds. Everyone sleeps upstairs, so we'd have time. I think most bulgars will run like hell when they hear a shotgun pump because there is nothing else that sound like it

[Anonymous]

Has your alarm ever gone off accidentally while your 11yo has been home alone? I’m a 911 dispatcher and we get lots of calls from hysterical kids, more so in the summer because they’re home alone and the alarm goes off and they legit think they’re about to die… unless you live in the middle of nowhere it won’t take the police 15 mins to get to you. Alarms are a waste of money.
We have 2 dogs, one is a shepherd, I’m not overly worried about our house being broken into.

[Anonymous]

dogs, and not some cute small thing, something people will be scared to run into .

[Anonymous]

All of your alarm consoles should have automatic buttons to press for fire, medic, and police. Teach your kids to hit those fast.

[Anonymous]

Our cousin was raped as a hs student when burglars broke into their home when her parent were at work. There were several men so she couldn't have fought them off without a gun and the was no time for her to get the gun her parents had in their room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a gun and practice using it. It’s your job to protect your family.

Right, so you can mow down your DH when he gets home early from a business trip.

Guns do way more harm in these types of situations that good. There is very good hard data on that. Home invasions, with intent to harm people, are INCREDIBLY rare. Accidental firearm deaths are not nearly as rare. Suicides too.

Bolded part above is my biggest fear honestly. My DH travels a lot, but even without the travel, one night I woke up to a strange noise in our basement. Being woken up, I didn’t realize where the noise is coming from, so I headed to kids’ bedrooms at first. I was completely unaware if my DH was in our bedroom, or in his home office on a different level of the house. The noise was so strange and it definitely sounded as if somebody broke in. I panicked, thinking I might have a small window of opportunity and was about to hit panic button on our home alarm system. If I had a gun and thought we were in imminent danger? I don’t know.

I changed my mind, set my phone on call for 911 and slowly started moving towards the basement. Once I saw all the lights on downstairs I realized it was probably my DH. It was heavily raining and our sump pump was malfunctioning.

While this whole story is silly, my fear was very real and million things went through my mind. Having a plan ahead of time is definitely a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most home break ins are crimes of opportunity.

Unless you have the hope diamond in your closest, most burglars are looking for the easiest house to hit and the fastest escape.

As a PP said, get a dog. A big dog with a big bark.

A barking dog is enough to have them move on to the next house

Yep, as is an "ADT" sign in the yard.

[Anonymous]

The better approach is to create some semblance of a secure room, typically the parents’ room, by upgrading the door, locks and hardware. Have a spare door key, ideally with a glow in the dark attachment to drop to the police. Obviously have a cell phone. Whether to keep a firearm is a personal choice. Home invasions typically are not random, and it is important to be alert to preincident indicators.

[Anonymous]

You distract, your daughter hides, your DH escapes and calls 911. What’s the issue here?? Seems like all bases are covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We have thought about getting a gun, but decided against it, for the following reason: in the past six months at my daughter's stressful elite private school three children committed suicides (unrelated to each other), each of them with the gun of their parents.

Besides, if the gun is kept fairly secured and hidden, there might not be enough time to get it.

Honestly your daughter’s school sounds like a greater danger to your lives and well being than a burglary.

[Anonymous]

Agreed that dogs are a huge deterrent asxare alarm notices. I worked in a place once that got broken into regularly. They finally put in an alarm and the break ins stopped.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for your replies. Our lifestyle does not allow us to have a dog, at least not if we want to be responsible. We usually spend the summers traveling in Europe.

[Anonymous]

OP here again. Nobody seems to have picked up on anything strange regarding my husband's planned reaction. He would flee the house and leave our daughter in the house together with the burglars.

In my opinion this would greatly increase the risk of an encounter between our daughter and the burglars. The likelihood is low that the police would get there in time.

I could never do this, and consider his attitude extremely cowardly. I am stunned that he would put his safety and well-being above that of our daughter.

Does anybody feel like that or am I crazy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Nobody seems to have picked up on anything strange regarding my husband's planned reaction. He would flee the house and leave our daughter in the house together with the burglars.

In my opinion this would greatly increase the risk of an encounter between our daughter and the burglars. The likelihood is low that the police would get there in time.

I could never do this, and consider his attitude extremely cowardly. I am stunned that he would put his safety and well-being above that of our daughter.

Does anybody feel like that or am I crazy?

Op, I think the idea that you can sacrifice yourself to save your daughter and this will somehow keep your daughter safer than getting help is a romantic notion from watching too many movies. Much better to call 911 and get help on the way than to try and be a hero and think that means your daughter is safe. A burglar is more likely to leave you and your daughter alone and not harm you if you leave them alone and don't pose a threat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Nobody seems to have picked up on anything strange regarding my husband's planned reaction. He would flee the house and leave our daughter in the house together with the burglars.

In my opinion this would greatly increase the risk of an encounter between our daughter and the burglars. The likelihood is low that the police would get there in time.

I could never do this, and consider his attitude extremely cowardly. I am stunned that he would put his safety and well-being above that of our daughter.

Does anybody feel like that or am I crazy?

I think you're crazy for keeping your daughter at that "elite" school.