Big Kid

I hate to think about my kids being in a dangerous situation, but I hope and hope and hope that if they ever were (god forbid!!), they'd know what to do. Like 11-year-old Luis Gutierrez, who did exactly what I'd want my kids to do if they were home alone and somebody broke into the house (god forbid!!). When the boy heard the sound of shattering glass, he didn't wait to find out who or what broke that window -- he ran straight to his room, hid under his bed, and called his dad.

Good thinking, kid! I mean, this is an 11-year-old boy we're talking about here. Faced with intruders, he could have just as easily set a bunch of elaborate booby traps or tried sneaking up behind the thieves with a snow shovel. (Get it? He was Home Alone?!) Anyway, he did the right thing. And so did his dad, who told Luis to call 911. (Can you imagine getting that call from your kid? Help, I'm hiding under the bed cause somebody broke into the house!)

But the best part of this story? Luis didn't just save his own neck by thinking fast ... he stopped the robbers from getting away! Thanks to that 911 call, police arrived just in time to nab the 3 suspects (all of whom are apparently 17 years of age) AND rescue Luis through his bedroom window.

I don't know about you, but I'm definitely planning on having a talk with my kids about what happened to Luis Gutierrez. Main things to remember: Hide. With a phone! The only thing I'd want my kids to do differently would be to call 911 first.

I'm also never leaving my 11-year-old daughter home alone. Maybe freshman year of high school? If she's lucky.

How do you think your kid would react in this situation?

Image via rabble/Flickr