My Little Edison

Today the kids and I went to the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Winter Estates and Museum.  We were able to tour around both of their houses as well as Edison's laboratory.  We also got to make a rubber ball and a Bernoulli ball.  Needless to say my son was on top of things when asked how a light bulb works, but my kids were less than thrilled to walk around the grounds and see the view (which I LOVED).

I have recently been reading a book titled Dreamers, Discoverers, & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who is Bright, Bored, and Having Problems in School.  Essentially it states that some children are wired differently and therefore think and learn differently than what is considered normal.    Some are very imaginative (dreamers), some are inventors (discoverers), and some are just always on the go (dynamos).  I got the book because I figured my son was a discoverer (and he is) and wanted to see if I could get some ideas on how to better help him learn.  In the process of reading the book, I've also realized that my daughter is a bit of a dynamo and a dreamer mixed into one.  My husband fits the discoverer category as well, so I guess it's genetic.

The book also calls these children "Edison trait children."  That's because they are very smart and can even get themselves in trouble (as Edison did MANY times).

One of the things I found interesting about Edison is that after Edison got in trouble in school (at a rather young age), his mother decided to teach him at home (she was a school teacher so it was an easy choice for her to make).  She allowed her son the freedom to learn the way he needed to.  I wish I could say I would let my son have his own laboratory (with chemicals) at the age of 8, but that's just not happening.

As someone who said I would never homeschool my children (I love God's sense of humor), I recently decided, that public or private schools are not going to be in my sons near future.  After reading what I have about Edison and about "Edison trait children," the best thing I can do for my son right now is to keep him home so that he can learn in his own way.  Who knows... maybe my son will one day be considered an inventor like Edison.

Oh...and in preparation for our trip today we got some books from the library on Edison.  Guess what?  My son shares a birthday with Thomas Edison.  Interesting coincidence don't you think?  My son thinks so because when I mentioned it to him he said, "Maybe that's God's way of letting me know I need to invent things like Edison."