When My Kids Needed to Call 911

My children before I fainted, and me a few hours afterward (01/21)

I wasn’t feeling great after our hike, so I laid down for a nap as soon as we got home. Not long after, I woke to the sound of my youngest (9) vomiting. I shot out of bed and rushed to the hall bathroom—only to find my oldest daughter (11) gently holding her little sister’s hair back as she got sick into the toilet.

I suddenly felt nauseous myself. I grabbed an anti-nausea med from the counter and sat down on the floor near the toilet, trying to steady myself. That’s the last thing I remember.

The rest of the story was told to me hours later—by my kids.

While I was sitting there, I slumped over and collapsed against the toilet. My children tried to wake me. I stood up, but I was disoriented and kept stumbling into the walls as I walked down the hallway. I eventually collapsed again, this time flat on the floor in the entryway, hitting my chin.

My 11-year-old daughter immediately grabbed her GPS calling watch and tried to call 911. My 10-year-old son told Alexa to “Call Dad,” then brought me a pillow and a glass of water as I slowly started to regain consciousness.

My husband, a nurse, was on shift at the time. He dropped everything and raced home—getting to us before our youngest had even finished throwing up.

We still don’t know exactly what caused my collapse—maybe dehydration, maybe the meds, maybe a virus—but here’s what I do know:

My kids were ready.

They didn’t panic. They acted. They comforted their sister, cared for me, and called for help. And while I’m beyond proud of how they handled that terrifying moment, I’m not surprised.

This is exactly why we do Week of 12.

The independence, confidence, and calm they showed in a real emergency weren’t things they magically discovered in the moment—they were skills and instincts built over time, through consistent, purposeful training. They’ve practiced managing responsibilities. They’ve had conversations about what to do in unexpected situations. They’ve learned to think, decide, and lead.

That day could have ended very differently. But instead of fear, they moved in love. Instead of freezing, they took charge.

And I’m reminded, once again, that raising capable kids doesn’t mean taking a step back—it means walking with them until they can stand strong on their own.

Want to Raise Kids Who Are Ready for Real Life?

You don’t have to start with emergency drills. Maybe just invite your child to help plan dinner this week or talk through what they'd do if the power went out. The goal isn’t to create perfection—it’s to build courage, decision-making, and love one small step at a time. And you don’t have to do it alone.