Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
VIETNAM — Never doubt a parent's intuition. It's an ancient superpower that allows moms and dads to know when kids have earaches, need a diaper change or shouldn't play at a certain park.
When I was about 5 years old, this type of intuition might've saved my life. I was wading in a shallow ditch with my two older sisters, as my mom watched from a short distance away. Although everything seemed calm and under control, my mom moved closer to the water to watch us.
Somehow, I lost my balance and did a seat-drop into the water. The ditch was lined with moss, which turned it into an unexpectedly slippery slide. I gained speed faster than anyone would've thought, so my sisters couldn't grab me.
There was a big drop-off in the ditch about 50 feet downstream from where we were. Below that, the water was swifter and there were lots of hazards. Had my mom not been so close to me, she never could've grabbed me in time.
Here's a more recent example of parental intuition in action — kind of like Spider-Man's 'spidey-sense":
"My two kids and I were having lunch in the living room when I heard a strange noise coming from the ceiling," the video caption states. "In the moment, I decided to pull my two kids and ran away." The ceiling then dropped but fortunately, they were safe.
What an amazing rescue! I've got mad respect for that intuitive, fast-moving dad. He not only noticed something dangerous but also had the determination and quick reflexes needed to avert disaster.