KILL HIM
Alright, first of all, get dogs. As long as no one in the family has a phobia of them or anything, get a huge mastiff and a huge german shephard. The kids are old enough that as long as the dog respects you while they're raised, there won't be any issue with maulings or anything like that.
They are the BEST alarm system, plus they can kill. Don't leave them outside on a chain! It's not really fair to them, plus they aren't as effective tied up as they would be right inside the house. Train them to be loveable family pets as opposed to vicious attack dogs. If the time comes, they'll know how to attack or at the VERY least bark and growl. I don't like electronic alarms very much, just don't trust them... what if they're circumvented or the power goes off or something?
Lock all windows.
Give the kids a very high power flashlight with a TID, and a can of bear mace. Maybe the 16 year old is responsible enough to handle something more powerful...(I don't really know what... Taser/stun gun/knife Just food for thought, there are
some teens who would be responsible enough, i'm not advocating that all kids should be armed by any means)...
Consider shifting the rooms around... If possible it might make the most sense to have the kids sleeping in the least accesible part of the house, or where an intruder would have to walk by the parents room.
No one has mentioned giving the wife firearm training. Especially since the husband is away on business sometimes, this may be most crucial.
I think that pretty much solves the issue. Be ever vigiliant, look out when you're going in and out of rooms/house. Never walk looking at your feet. Never have your eyes focused on one object. Allow yourself to see everything at once... takes a bit of practice but could save your life.
Personally, I can't yet legally own a gun, and don't know all that much about them. I'm with the people who say that they must be accesible, they don't do any good otherwise. I'd keep a handgun close and a shotgun locked up for if you have some advanced notice.
I have a heavy compound bow, and several broadhead arrows. The design is such that you don't have to worry about the arrow falling off or anything. Sure it's tricky to maneuver, but I'm not going to be doing any hostage rescue (I am the kid after all); it would just be waiting for the *%^(^% to open the door. Hmm.... mounting a blinding light onto a bow would be an interesting project, if not an entirely practical one.
In the event that I don't have time to arm the compound bow, I have a '1MCP' spotlight (it's actually a pretty decent one) which, to someone with eyes adjusted to darkness, is absolutely blinding. Though puny in comparison to some of your lights, just the light reflecting off of a brown wall in the dark 7 ft. away hurts your eyes. So, I just have to remember to close my dominant eye.
I also keep a hatchet and knife right next to the spotlight.
The hatchet is primary close quarters weapon, the thing I'd grab after taking a shot with the bow. It's also good if there's enough time to get out of bed, but not enough to get the bow ready.
Lastly, the knife is a last resort if the person is already just a couple feet away from you. It's also good to hold in the hand not wielding the hatchet.
>>I don't know any fancy tricks or moves or anything with these weapons, And I wouldn't depend on them If I did, especially in a high stress situation after just waking up. Basic strategy is, charge, swing the club/hatchet/nunchaku, and half a second later plunge the knife.
I can reach the spotlight, hatchet, and knife, without having to move in bed at all except for my arm.
Thoughout the house:
Staff of some hardwood, just under shoulder height, very heavy
Short and thick hardwood stick a bit higher than my belt. VERY dense wood.
Nunchaku (again, I've had very limitided training, and would never try any sorts of moderately fancy moves. The multiplication of force however is extreme. A smallish person could easily crack the ribs of an attacker with a pair of these)
Baseball bat (self explanatory)
Various hammers, from the standard 16 oz. to roofing hammers about the same size as medieveal war hammers
Various straight and folding knives
These are scattered throughout the house in places that I'm most frequently at. Bedroom, Desk, TV area, and Workshop (haha, as though there aren't enough improvised weapons there already; likewise I'm not too worried about the kitchen).... Wouldn't just getting a gun simplify things a whole lot?
OK, just wanted to get that out there to an audience who won't consider me 110% nuts
Back to more general. You can have the greatest weapons and training in the world, but without the absolute determination and will to use them, it won't do any good. You just have to prepare mentally and condition yourself. Adrenaline will most certainly help:
Once, a guy walked by my front door in the shadows, no car in the driveway or anything. I live a fairly decent ways from other houses and the road, so it was pretty sketchy. I grabbed the nunchaku and a good knife, and adrenaline really takes over. I was scared and confused, but not in the traditional sense- your heart just beats faster, your muscles just feel a lot stronger. Your mind stays perfectly cool and is able to analyze the situation well. In fact in times of extreme stress (falling off a ladder or something) time may actually slow down, and you can think a minutes worth of thoughts in half a second (happened to me a couple times anyway). But that's a completely Different subject. Basically, when you are ready to fight for your life, your body and mind really step up the challenge. You'll be waiting for that chance to just swing your weapon, and dive with the knife... it's really strange, but you actually feel/simulate exactly how it would feel without trying, at that point you'll want it more than anything (kind of scary, but I suppose it's helpful).
Anyway, I scanned the yard with the spotlight, and apparently the guy just left. Not a good story, but I'm very thankful that that's how it turned out.
Wo0Ow. Sorry about all that ranting. I guess I just wanted to get my personal beliefs out on the subject. If you're still reading this, your attention span is some 500x greater than mine.
Oh, and just another note. I know that you guys here know this, but to the hapless wanderer coming from google: Flashlights are excellent tools. They are nothing more however, and are not magic. If your life depends on one, use it, but don't just stand around. You HAVE to take the oppurtunity that the blinding light gives you to run or to strike your attacker, it won't last forever after all.
Ok, I'm glad to hear that everyone's ok. Stay safe. Be Constantly ready, have sincere will to do whatever is necessary to protect your life (I suppose this is a lot easier to have when you're fighting for your children... but I don't have any so wouldn't know). Get dog(s). May that freak's head be filled with lead, to put it a bit more bluntly.
