It's a Bird. It's a Plane. It's a Fucking Fire!

Last night I did a fire drill with Abbey. I want to make sure that she is prepared to get out of the house if anything were to happen. So I show her the route that I want her to take, make sure that she can unlock the door, and explain to her what the smoke detector will sound like. The more I explain it to her, the more I can tell that it is upsetting her.

Now, I don't want to freak her out, but I also don't want her to be unsure of what to do if there ever is a fire. So, I take her to her room, put her to bed, and tell her that if she hears the smoke detector she is to do what we practiced. I close her door, wait a few minutes, and then set off the smoke detector.

She comes out of her room absolutely terrified, and keeps trying to come to me. I tell her that she has to get out of the house. So she goes to the door, unlocks it, and goes outside. I go to her to tell her that she did a good job, and find her crying. I do my best to explain to her again that it was just practice, and that there wasn't a real fire. She calms down a bit.

We go back to her room to work on her reading, but she is having a really hard time concentrating. She keeps looking around her, checking for fire, I assume. I ask her what it is that's bothering her, and she asks me "Won't you come to get me if there's a fire". I tell her that I would do everything I could to get to her, but if I can't I have to know that she could get out of the house. "But you'll be with me, right" she asks. I tell her again that I will do everything I can to be with her. She starts crying a little, and says "But I don't want you to die, Daddy".

Sweetest goddamn kid ever.