The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire...no, not really.

A couple nights ago, I asked Caliah to make Avelina some hot cocoa. Since Avelina has been sick with pneumonia, I've been tending to her non-stop. Duh, I know. I'm supposed to. Sad thing tho, I've been getting sick now. A lot of times, Cali does help. So, as I was feeling crummy, I asked Cali to make her sister the drink.

I asked her to warm the milk up on the microwave...so it'd be faster. I usually make the girls hot cocoa, on the stove top.
So, when Caliah left the kitchen, to tell me that she was warming up the milk, the microwave started smoking. Avelina immediately ran to me, and told me there was a fire in there.

Cali, stood there, speechless, and what I assume, scared. Scared of being in trouble for starting a fire, or scared because there was a fire. Or both. Either way, she was frozen.

So, I immediately got up, and grabbed the metal coffee mug, that was caught on fire, and threw it in the sink, that miraculously, was full of water. (Well, a pot was)

I didn't want the fire alarm to sound off, so I went to the hallway, and started fanning it. Then, Avelina runs to me, saying there's a bigger fire.
This time, the microwave had caught fire. Soooooooooooo...I blew on it (I know, right?!) And, grabbed my pillow, and fanned it. Since the microwave was still plugged in, and I had a feeling it was electrical, I didn't throw water at it. Fortunately, the fanning killed the fire, so all was well with the world.

I went back to fanning the alarm. And Cali was still in her spot, frozen.

I was upset.
Not because she accidently burnt my most favorite mug. That was my fault, I should have explained to her that metal doesn't belong in the microwave, because it starts fires! I was mad because she froze.

The fact that her 4 year old sister ran to me to tell me FIRE FIRE FIRE!! Made me sad. Cali is 10. She should know to come to me for help, if something like that happens. Instead, she shuts down. It made me picture a real life emergency. What will happen if her sister is choking, and she can't tell me herself? While Cali just stares, wondering what to do. Scared that she may get in trouble?

So, Hugo and I talked to her.
We explained that we don't care about the mug or the microwave. We aren't mad that it was an accident. Those happen all the time. We were frustrated, that she didn't react.
She needs to have these basics instincts turned on, otherwise this girl will not survive in a real emergency.

It made me upset.
We went over and over and over it with her.
We will NEVER get mad at you over material things. Be verbal. Shout fire! Shout, HELP! Something! Don't just stare blankly at the emergency, and hope that we can hear your thoughts!

But, the incident is passed. The house didn't burn down. My mug can be replaced.
And it's funny, now.
Hopefully she understands how important it is to speak up.