In church last week, our pastor shared with us the following story about Thomas Edison:
One day Thomas Edison came home and gave a paper to his mother. He told her, “My teacher gave this paper to me and told me to only give it to my mother.”
His mother’s eyes were tearful as she read the letter out loud to her child: Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have enough good teachers for training him. Please teach him yourself.
After many, many years, after Edison’s mother died and he was now one of the greatest inventors of the century, one day he was looking through old family things. Suddenly he saw a folded paper in the corner of a drawer in a desk. He took it and opened it up. On the paper was written: Your son is addled. He cannot come to school any more.
Edison cried for hours and then he wrote in his diary: “Thomas Alva Edison was an addled child that, by a hero mother, became the genius of the century.”
Our pastor tied this story into her message that I enjoyed, but this story really stuck with me.
I went home and checked the validity of the story. There are many people sharing THIS story, but I learned of some subtle differences.
Thomas’s teacher did call him an addled child, which upset Thomas so much he went home crying and told his mother. This was very upsetting to Mrs. Edison, and with ruffled feathers she marched Thomas back to the classroom to unleash her mama bear on the teacher, settling the matter that she would just teach her son at home herself.
Of course, the first story is very sentimental – it sticks. It is part of what stuck out to me when I left church.
But the real story is pretty good too.
I think what it comes down to, as parents, we stand by our children. No one else is going to love our kids as much as we do. We fight for them, stand up for them, care deeply for them and would do almost anything for them. And even a parent can teach their child to question, dream, learn, innovate, invent and more – just like Mrs. Edison.
This story was a good reminder for me of the influence and love I have for my kids, and the willingness to support them in any way I can.
With that Mama Bear in reserve if needed😉
Heck yea! I almost called this post, “Nancy Edison: The First Mama Bear” but then I realized Mam Bears have always been around. But I go the message – support your kids and pull out that Mama Bear when needed 🙂
Not heard these stories before. Your so right about parenting. I don’t often seek wisdom from a Rock movie, but one line from the Jungle always hits home. It’s where the boy is moaning about his stepfather trying to parent him too much. The girl comes back with it would be so much worse if he didn’t care. In the modern world sadly if we don’t fight for them, who will…
That is so true – we fight for our kids cause no one else will. You’re right!
Both are good stories. I like the real one better too.
Thanks, Sean!
1) Good for you for checking the validity of the story. 2) It shows that not all learning environments are suited for all children. Trying to figure out how to find the best environment for your kid is the trick Since the schools see so many kids, you’d think they might be able to help. Instead, they shoehorn them all into a one size fits most box.
Thanks, Jeff! You’re right – one size doesn’t fit all. Trying to find the best environment is key for optimum learning.
Some children are addled
Others get a little older before they develop a spark
If Edison hadn’t been like he was
I’d be typing this in the dark…
You’re so clever!
Amazing story! We should definitely be brave in supporting our kids. Teachers are limited by a full classroom, behavior management and the rigidity of traditional class structure. Genius is found in creativity so seldom unleashed within a schools walls. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome reminder. Thank you, Robyn. And thank you for following my blog, Shock and Autism.
Thank you!