• Learn More about Stephanie Sheaffer
  • About
  • Advertise/PR
  • Contact

Metropolitan Mama

  • Babies
    • Ask Dr. Sears
    • Baby Products
    • Birth
    • Breastfeeding
    • Vaccines
  • Fitness
    • Outdoor Family
    • Running Mamas
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Gift Guides
  • Travel With Kids
You are here: Home / Letters To My Kids / Higher

Higher

January 28, 2010 By Stephanie

Higher 1“Push me higher,” she screams, her voice shaking with joy and anticipation.

Tim pulls back and lets her go toward the skies like a rubber band. She laughs, unfettered – eyes sparkling, lips parted: “HIGHER! HIGHER!”

“That IS high,” he protests.

“That’s NOT HIGH,” she shouts back, indignantly.

The higher she is, the happier she is…yet it’s still not quite high enough.

I sit on the park bench, holding her baby sister, watching the exchange with a slight smile on my face.

As I watch, I think of this little swing ride as a metaphor. I catch my breath and pray quietly, “Help her to dream big, to reach high…to always, always say, ‘That’s NOT HIGH’ when people tell her that her dreams are too wide and deep.”

And then Shel Silverstein’s famous poem whispers across my mind –

Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child.
Listen to the DON’TS.
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS.
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS.
Listen to the NEVER HAVES.
Then listen close to me –
Anything can happen, child.
ANYTHING can be.

Filed Under: Letters To My Kids

Comments

  1. Sara Greco says

    January 29, 2010 at 11:49 pm

    I was recently talking to a friend who has older children and she was saying how “easy” it is for us now (tongue in cheek!). It’s nice being able to control how high and fast they go now, huh? Lord, please HELP me for when they are pushing themselves!!

  2. Madeline says

    January 29, 2010 at 10:05 pm

    Oh. my. I got a little teary eyed reading this one. What a wonderful prayer.

  3. Becca says

    January 29, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    So Lovely!

  4. KellieS says

    January 29, 2010 at 7:46 pm

    Endless possibilities…

  5. Casual Friday Every Day says

    January 29, 2010 at 4:06 pm

    Love it!

    Nell

  6. Mary @ Parenthood says

    January 29, 2010 at 3:20 pm

    What a beautiful poem! I love it.

  7. Mel @ A Box of Chocolates says

    January 29, 2010 at 3:07 pm

    Beautiful post Stephanie! I wish the same thing for my two kiddos. Dream big, Go High!!

  8. Jessie says

    January 29, 2010 at 10:44 am

    What a beautiful thought-and another stunning photo! We adore Shel in our house. Your reflections & his poem are kindred spirits.

  9. Cyndi says

    January 29, 2010 at 9:58 am

    Love your thoughts. Great post.

  10. Naomi says

    January 29, 2010 at 8:57 am

    I love that book! This one is the contemporary version, I think:

    http://veryawesomeworld.com/awesomebook/inside.html

    Never put up boundaries that don’t need to be there. Absolutely true!

  11. Michelle says

    January 29, 2010 at 8:37 am

    There is an awesome new book:
    Higher, Higher all about swinging.

    Get it at your library.

    total greatness.

    http://www.amazon.com/Higher-Leslie-Patricelli/dp/0763632414/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264779439&sr=8-1

  12. Amy M says

    January 29, 2010 at 8:27 am

    So sweet!

  13. Darcie - Such The Spot says

    January 29, 2010 at 6:49 am

    Love that Shel Silverstein poem. And how you applied it to your day at the park.

  14. Jen C. says

    January 29, 2010 at 6:30 am

    I love days at the park with my kids. I’m one of those Moms who gets up on the equipment or swings right along with my kids. Once my son learned how to pump his legs I would sit with my daughter on my lap on the swing next to him and we would all swing together. So much fun!! Hearing “higher, higher Mom” never gets old!! :) Enjoy those times with your girls.

    And I love Shel Silverstein as well. I just recently realized that we didn’t own any of his books except The Giving Tree so I went and bought Where the Sidewalk Ends. I plan on getting his other ones as well.

  15. Chelsea says

    January 29, 2010 at 5:54 am

    Pure joy!

  16. Kayla says

    January 28, 2010 at 9:57 pm

    What a great picture and a very lovely post!
    That makes me want to become a child again and be pushed on a swing :)

  17. Christine says

    January 28, 2010 at 9:25 pm

    What a fantastic picture! :) Also a lovely little reminder post!

  18. Lindsay says

    January 28, 2010 at 9:20 pm

    I love this perspective! Such a nice outlook…and one I will think about tomorrow when my 2.5 yr. old screams the same thing. It amazes every single time when she is completely unphased by going higher while I am shaking in my boots! But he laughing sure is nice!

  19. Blessed says

    January 28, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    Thank you for reminding me of that poem – it’s what I want to teach my children too – anything can be, always reach higher.

  20. Nicole Feliciano says

    January 28, 2010 at 9:02 pm

    I love that poem. And I highly recommend the Book Blueberry Girl. Same idea and gorgeous!

  21. Our Crazy Boys says

    January 28, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    Awh, I love it.

    It makes me laugh when my boys say “higher, higher!” Then they yell “too high, Mom! STOP!”

  22. Nini Lettner says

    January 28, 2010 at 8:28 pm

    Just teared up reading this. You are the best mom. Shel Silverstein is a favorite in our house.

See the World, One City at a Time.

Metropolitan Mama
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Metropolitan Mama is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Contributor

I blog for Ergobaby

Me…On ABC News

abc news mom blog

Contributor

TucsonTopia

Copyright © 2021 ยท Metropolitan Mama - See the World, One City at a Time