Our Park Emergency: The Importance of Planning and Intuition

Today I was reminded of the power of a parent’s intuition. It’s a gut feeling that’s hard to explain, but it’s something that every parent knows deep within their bones.

We took our three little ones, aged 2, 3, and 4, to their favorite park. The park was quiet, with just one other family and three teens on the swings. As we walked up to the play structure, I quickly noticed the other family leaving and then the teens multiplying and strategically positioning themselves around the park’s border. My intuition started screaming at me to leave as well. I quickly turned to my husband to let him know I felt we needed to leave immediately. Before I could even say a word, one of the teens came running past me, wielding a large, sharp knife.

In that split second, I yelled to my husband to grab our two kids he was standing near. While I rushed to our oldest, who was confused on why we needed to leave only a minute after arriving. I clearly told her, “This is an emergency. We need to leave now.” She looked up at me, unsure, but then I said, “It’s not safe here right now. Get into my arms,” she didn’t hesitate. She jumped into my arms, and I ran to the car, grateful to lock our family safely inside.

From the car we watched a mass of about twenty teens form. I realized that although we have had talks about safety, we hadn’t really talked specifically about what to do if we say, “It’s an emergency.” I am grateful that our four-year-old didn’t question or protest in that moment. It would have been a very bad time for an “I don’t want to leave the park!” meltdown.

This experience taught me two crucial lessons. First, trust your intuition, even when you’re in a “safe place.” We honestly live in a very safe family friendly neighborhood. I learned today not to let your safe surroundings silence that inner voice nudging you to protect your family. Second, have an open conversation with your family about emergency preparedness. Use simple language and establish a clear phrase. Make sure your kids know upon hearing that phrase to drop everything and follow your instructions without hesitation.

If you’re like me, you’re wondering how this could have happened in our family-friendly neighborhood. But the truth is, there’s no such thing as a “safe place” that’s completely immune to danger.

So, what can you do? Start the conversation with your family today. Choose a phrase, like ” Emergency Red Alert,” or “Safe mode,” and make sure everyone knows what it means. Do a practice drill, so your kids know exactly what to do. And trust your intuition as a parent. If something feels off, don’t hesitate to remove your family from the area.

I’m grateful for my daughter’s trust in me, and I hope that by sharing our story, I can encourage you to prioritize emergency preparedness and trust your own intuition. Let’s work together to keep our families safe, and let’s make sure our children know that when we say, “it’s not safe,” they know the importance and exactly what to do.

As I look back on today’s events, I’m grateful for the lessons learned. I hope you’ll take away the importance of trusting your intuition and preparing your family for emergencies.

*For privacy reasons the photo is not of the actual scene today*