Shoulda Coulda Woulda

It’s no secret that I’ve allowed my intuition to inform many of my parenting choices. I take that little voice inside my gut very seriously when it comes to AE. Last week, I learned that I need to listen to it when it comes to other people’s children, too.

AE and I were standing with our friends outside of a mommy and me class we had just attended. It was a dark, rainy morning. The class is held in a storefront located in a busy strip mall. Parking is scarce even on a weekday morning.

We were chatting with our friends when one of our toddler classmates, we’ll call her “Olympian” (in honor of the future she clearly has in running), started jogging toward us on the sidewalk. Her mom and little brother were a few yards behind her when she reached us.

I heard it loud and clear, there’s no denying that. The voice in my belly said, “Grab her!” But, the voice in my head quickly shut my gut down. “How will that mother feel about you grabbing her child? She’s the mom. She has this under control.”

It happened in an instant, but my intuition and my logic had a heated debate. Logic won. I didn’t grab Olympian. I let her pass by.

Seconds after passing us, she started picking up speed. Her mom started running as she shrieked, “Olympian! Stop! Stop right now!” She didn’t stop. She just ran faster.

Her mom pursued, but couldn’t catch up. People heard the mother’s screams from inside nearby stores and came running out. But, Olympian reached the end of the sidewalk and just kept running – in to the road.

I was shaking with terror. AE later reported that “Mommy had her hand on her mouth! Mommy so scared!” All I could think about was that little voice that I ignored. I knew I was supposed to stop her, but I didn’t.

Thankfully, Olympian’s mom caught her before anything tragic happened. But, I was left with a case of the shakes that lasted for several hours and the awareness that my intuition is not to be ignored.

The thing about intuition is we can’t always make “sense” of what it’s telling us in the moment. We may not ever be able to make sense of it. But, sometimes our guts think faster than our brains. And when they do, we best listen to them!

Do you worry about offending other parents with your “help?”Have you ever ignored your intuition and later regretted it? I’d love to hear how your intuition has served you!