As a result of his mother's efforts...

As a result of his mother's efforts, Edison managed, even before the age of nine, to read the masterly works of such writers as Gibbon, Hume, Plato, and Homer. This wise and intelligent mother also taught him geography, history, arithmetic and ethics. Edison attended school only for three months, and all he had learnt during childhood was through his mother.

She was a true teacher in every sense of the word, since her care was not only for his education, but also to discover his natural talents and develop them. In later years, when Edison rose to the height of fame, he said: "In childhood, l realized what a fine figure a mother is. When the teacher called me 'stupid', she defended me. I determined seriously to prove that she was not mistaken about me." He also said: "I shall never lose the effects of my mother's education.

If she had not encouraged me, I may not have become an inventor. In my mother's opinion, if those who went wrong after attaining adolescence had been educated and taken care of sufficiently, they would not have become useless parasites in society. The experiences she had gathered as a teacher, taught her many secrets of human nature. I had always been careless, and if it had not been for her attention, I would, in all probability, have deviated from the proper course.

But her steadfastness and goodness were the powerful factors that checked me from deviation and error.[^1] Smiles says: "A model and example are the most important factor in a child's moral education. If a person wishes his children to have fine qualities, he should definitely provide them with fine models.

But the model that is constantly before their eyes, is the mother.''[^2] Mothers can, with their personality, sympathy and efforts, lay the foundation of a happy life for their children and train them for future, whereas frivolous and selfish mothers, with their wrong acts, drag their children towards distress and misfortune.

Will Durant says in a discussion of the profound effects of parents' deeds upon their children: "The best house, the best school and the best of everything else lie a place where there is less command. It can clearly be seen how, without punishment and command, a child may be led to behave well. If this free method produces no effect in some cases, it is because we parents ourselves do not follow the orders we give to our children.

We give an order for moderation, but we go to excess in eating and drinking.