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The Edison Trait: Saving the Spirit of Your Free-Thinking Child in a Conforming World (Hardcover)

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4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School (Formerly Titled 'The Edison Trait')

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Lucy Jo Palladino defines the Edison Trait (named after Thomas Edison) as divergent vs. convergent thinking. Edison Trait kids--one in five children--have the qualities that make innovative leaders, inventors, explorers, yet they often have a hard time in school where their personality traits may be seen as weak or negative. Palladino recasts these children in a positive light and gives specifics on understanding and becoming an ally for your Edison Trait child. The book is convincing, reassuring, and accessible. Perhaps it will help parents of nonconforming kids resist the pressure to make their kids "just fit in."


Product Description

"My daughter lives in her own world, sitting in the back of the classroom, doodling unicorns. She's a bright kid who's getting lost. How do we reach her?"

"My son can program my laptop, but I have to hound him constantly to do the simplest things. How can I motivate him?"

"My kid has to get his own way. And he's always racing around, always on the go. How can such a smart kid be so hard to live with?"

Millions of children--one in five--have what psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino, Ph.D., calls the Edison trait: dazzling intelligence, an active imagination, a free-spirited approach to life, and the ability to drive everyone around them crazy. They have the raw talent to succeed in our fast-paced, information-rich, techno-magic world. But, unbridled, their talent also brings conflict into their lives. Edison-trait kids excel at thinking divergently, brimming over with one idea after the other. However, schools, organized activities, and routines of daily living reward convergent thinking, which seeks to focus on one idea at a time. Parents and teachers get frustrated by the Edison-trait child's apparent intractability and lack of focus. A mismatch between school and child can mask the child's considerable gifts for creativity and independent thinking.

Drawing on examples from over two decades of private practice, Dr. Palladino helps parents, teachers and others appreciate this challenging aspect of their child's intellect and personality. She distinguishes and describes the three main styles of the Edison trait. Dreamers live in their own world, following no one's schedule but their own. Discoverers insist on learning about and experiencing the world firsthand. Dynamos are full of energy, with a flair for surprises, power, and speed.

A small percentage of Edison-trait kids also have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), which puts them at even greater risk for problems in school. To address parents' concerns, The Edison Trait includes chapters on defining, diagnosing, and treating ADD.

Thomas Edison, who flunked out of school was able to harness his talents to give the world some of its finest inventions. Today this same ability to brainstorm thrives in creative geniuses such as Maya Angelou, Bill Gates, and Ted Turner.

Dr. Palladino offers eight guidelines for parents to understand and help Edison-trait kids:

1 Believe in your child.

2 Watch what you say.

3 Build a parent-and-child team.

4 Encourage your child's interests.

5 Teach your child self-control.

6 Coach your child to learn how to achieve.

7 Take care of yourself.

8 Take care of your family.


The Edison trait is on the rise in our younger generation, who are growing up in a world of accelerated change. Dr. Palladino reveals the link between Edisonian thinking and Information Age success. She explains how Edison-trait children are born leaders of the twenty-first century. Her inspiring and reassuring book will light the way.
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 310 pages
  • Publisher: Times Books (April 29, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0812927370
  • ISBN-13: 978-0812927375
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,655 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #51 in  Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > School-Age Children
    #77 in  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > Child Psychology > Psychology
    #92 in  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > Adolescent Psychology

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Lucy Jo Palladino
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4.9 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for dealing with bright but very difficult children., December 12, 2000
By "nolansmom" (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews
This is a very compassionate book about smart but difficult to manage children. These "Edison-trait" children are spirited, passionate children who are very intense and hard to live with. The author calls them "divergent thinkers", who are very creative, imaginative, and see things in a different way than others. They have problems focusing on others' ideas and letting go of their own. School can be very frustrating for them. For example, they don't like practicing skills repeatedly. I found Chapter 12 on School to very helpful. It gives some good tips to help these children succeed at school and to feel good about themselves regarding school. There are ways that parents and teachers can help them and provide encouragement without the child feeling labeled or stigmatized. There is also a large section in the book on ADD and ADHD. The author writes "While just about all children who have ADD have the Edison trait, not all children with the Edison trait have ADD." While they share the same traits, such as being easily distracted, disorganized, and disobedient, in the child with ADD, these traits are excessive and disrupts his functioning. The problems are more severe in the ADD child. This book is very compassionate regarding the needs of the children. It provides hope for parents.
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63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This book was comfort food for my soul!, January 20, 2000
By Marie (Colorado) - See all my reviews
This is the first book I have EVER found myself in. I have always been fascinated by psychology, but have never fit into anyone's theory or box. I have usually found myself relating to the negative characteristics of two opposite types in someones personality groups. My spirit was broken by well intentioned parents trying to make me fit in with what is supposed to be "normal" in our society. Lucy Jo Palladino has seen in children what so many professionals refuse to, or cannot see. I saw Dr. Palladino on TV promoting this book and was drawn to it because at that time I was beginning to see the hopelessness in my 2yr old son that I remembered feeling as a child, but never did understand. Dr. Palladino understands how my brain works. I never understood it, I just knew I was different but didn't know why. The book is invaluable now that my son is 5 and I need guidance on how to teach him self control and discipline. It's not easy, but the methods in this book help me nurture and teach to his strengths instead of trying to change the very nature of who he is. The biggest surprise in this book was that I found out my husband is also an Edison thinker, just a very different one than I am. He's a dreamer and I and my son are discoverers. By the way I don't label lightly, this book seems to be written about my family. Is there anymore out there about this? Is there any way to write to the author? I am so thankful for this book and would recommend it to anyone who thinks their child might be in this book. It could literally save their life. I am very fortunate that my attempts to check out of this world that did not accept or understand me were not successful.
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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Love rewires the brain, April 17, 2006
Pharmaceutical drugs are only one line of defense in treating ADD. Drugs can alter brain chemistry but the patient is fundamentally the same personality. Medication alone will only go so far. A combination of prescriptions and psychotherapy yield better long-term results. Thomas Edison owed his life to his mother who believed in him when the schools kicked him out at 6. There is something to be said about love ... love itself can rewire the brain of a "problem" child.

****************************************************************

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE THE EDISON TRAIT? by Lucy Jo Palladino

He was a boy who learned only by doing. At age six, he had to see how fire worked and accidentally burned his father's barn to the ground. The next fall he began school, where he alternated between letting his mind travel to distant places and keeping his body in perpetual motion in his seat. Because he was distractible and restless, he did not last long in a formal classroom. His teacher called him "addled." Eventually, his mother had to home-school him. As an adult he would recall: "My father thought I was stupid and I almost decided I must be a dunce."

The core of his learning was his passion for experiments. As his new teacher, his mother gave his talent free rein. At the same time she infused him with the disciplines of study. With time and determination, he mastered his runaway mind. He grew up to become a prolific inventor, bringing the magic of electricity and sound recording into the world. He either invented or improved hundreds of practical conveniences. It is said that Thomas Alva Edison succeeded where others failed or never tried, because it was his nature to dare.

Today, a growing number of children have that nature to dare. Like young Edison, they are easily distracted and disorganized, but also wildly imaginative and inventive.

They have minds that are at home with meanderings and leaps of vast proportions. They make unexpected, sometimes startling, connections.

QUALITIES OF A CREATIVE MIND
There was once a man who drove a truck on a road through a town and got stuck under a bridge that had a low clearance. The men of the town gathered around the wedged truck to think of ways to dismantle the truck or the bridge. Finally, a young boy came up and asked, "Why don't you let some air out of the tires?" That is what they did, and the truck went on its way.

This was a child who had the Edison trait. He saw an element of the scene that no one else saw, because they were busily and systematically focused on what to them was relevant to the solution.

An Edison-trait child:

Expects the Unexpected
A child with the Edison trait makes sudden, astonishing connections. Because his inner critic disallows neither the ridiculous nor the sublime, he can be innovative, ingenious, and fascinating. He can see ordinary things in extraordinary ways, which is the very essence of creativity.

His sense of humor is disarming. It stems from keen perception and the ability to see things from a different perspective. Sometimes he exhibits the kind of straight-from-the-subconscious humor that makes successful stand-up comics so funny. He blurts out ideas that are just under the surface, things that most others would have automatically censored.

Thinks Autonomously
This is a child who stands up for his own ideas, especially when they are uncommon or nonconformist. He is an independent thinker and does not rely on the opinions of others to form his own judgments. In a matter of personal interest to him, he stands firm with conviction, even in the face of strong opposition.

Hyperfocuses and Persists
When the Edison-trait child is intrinsically motivated, he has formidable mental power. If he is working on a project that is his own brainstorm, he is determined, tenacious, and persevering. As if by magic, he can work for hours involved in what he is doing. He finds ways to overcome barriers; his passion sees him through. In matters of his own choosing, he has inner direction and resolve.

Is Diverse and Intense
Edison-trait children are pluralistic, nonconforming, and multifarious. Once they begin to speak on a topic of their choosing, clear your calendar ... you'll be here for a while. Flights of fancy are common. One thing leads to another, though sometimes the connections are not apparent to the rest of us.

Has a Mind That Is Holistic
The Edison-trait child notices and reacts to things from any and all directions, so he is likely to have a global sense of places he has been. Take this child to the shopping mall and he'll probably be able to lead you back to your parked car.

Lives on His Own Schedule
Time passes slowly for this child when he is not engaged in an activity of interest. Otherwise, watch out! When an Edison-trait child works on a project of his choosing, he is dedicated and determined.

Loves to Come Up with Ideas
Some do this slowly and dreamily. Others are like kernels of popcorn popping. Many do both. They have qualities of being both a whimsical Dreamer and a high-charged Discoverer or turbulent Dynamo.

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE THE EDISON TRAIT?
All children are imaginative and enjoy make-believe, but children who have the Edison trait live even closer to their imaginations. It is their lifeblood.

Children manifest the Edison trait in various ways. Some are quiet and reserved and live in their own worlds. Others are loud, interruptive, and bold.

Your child may be a Dreamer, a Discoverer, or a Dynamo. Or he may combine features of any or all of these patterns.

Dreamers drift from place to place, on a schedule of eternal time.
Discoverers have to find things out for themselves and do things their own way.
Dynamos are always in motion, with a flair forsurprises, power, and speed.
To see how closely your child's patterns match the profile of children with this trait, take a moment and think about him since his earliest days. Then ask yourself these questions:

If your child is a Dreamer
1. Does he get absorbed or intensely involved in his own ideas much of the time?
2. Is he prone to saying things out of the blue?
3. Does he procrastinate to an extreme?
4. Are his interests and activities eclectic?
5. Does he start at least three projects for every one he finishes?

If your child is a Discoverer
1. Is he easily attracted to sights and sounds around him?
2. Is it vital for him to express his opinion?
3. Does he crave novelty, power, and excitement?
4. Is he always ready to speak, especially if you're talking?
5. When he wants his own way - which is almost always - is he relentless?

Or, if your child is a Dynamo
1. Does he get aggressive or intensely emotional about his own ideas much of the time?
2. Is some part of his body always in motion?
3. Are chances to run and climb as vital as the air he breathes?
4. Does he have boundless energy, enough for about three children his age?
5. Do you find yourself wondering if he lacks common sense?

The more "yes" answers you gave to these questions, the more reason there is for you to read on.

DREAMERS
Dreamers are mind wanderers. These Edison-trait youngsters seem to be lost in timeless space. From time to time, they have blank expressions on their faces or may look a little dazed. Actually, they are floating through one or several ideas in another realm, a world of their own.

I dwell in Possibility
A fairer house than Prose,
More numerous of windows,
Superior of doors.

Like Emily Dickinson, the author of these words, Edison-trait Dreamers are self-styled visionaries and poets. They have an ephemeral quality, a digressive style of thinking, and an inclination to see things from an unusual, even quixotic angle. In the classroom, after a lesson is taught, the Dreamer may not give the expected response, so others presume he just didn't "get it." But ask him and you'll find out that if he was tuned in, he probably "got it" all right - in an entirely unintended or uncommon way. He produces the kind of answer that makes you think twice.

Dreamers like sensory experience. They are drawn to color, sound, texture, taste, and fragrance. Often, Edison-trait Dreamers remember odd and seemingly unrelated facts and details, knowledge of an idiosyncratic nature. Seldom can they say exactly why they are drawn to these particular thoughts or recollections, but their fascination can become intense. What appears as spaciness to us is felt as absorption by them.

DISCOVERERS
Discoverers are Edison-trait adventurers who must blaze their own trail. They are high-spirited and have to see "what would happen if . . ." They are spontaneous and they must do things their own way.

Discoverers are multi-sensory, usually with a strong preference for visual input. This is a child who craves, and often creates, the stimulation of power, surprise, or diversity. He wants to explore his own ideas and express his own opinions. He wants life to keep him interested. If he does not find people stimulating, he will stimulate them, usually by provoking laughter or anger.

Discoverers like to live in the moment, without giving too much mind to what will happen in the future. Typically, they are not planners. Discoverers live with the attitude that they'll discover what's going to happen when it happens. That's what makes life interesting.

When a Discoverer is... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is now titled Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos...
The less expensive version of this book has a different title: Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos : How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School... Read more
Published on January 27, 2005 by Will's Words

5.0 out of 5 stars Will help you understand your child.
I now understand my child so much better after reading this book.
Published on December 5, 2001 by Sara Thacker

5.0 out of 5 stars Filled with excellent parenting wisdom
Your child does not have to be an Edison to benefit from reading this book. Each chapter has information that would be relevant to any parent. Read more
Published on March 29, 1999 by LINDA KIRSCH

5.0 out of 5 stars Very easy to read; eye opening; encouraging solutions.
We have struggled to understand our 11 year old daughter and her thought process. We have worked with a counsellor and was told she had ADD. Read more
Published on February 5, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Answers for parents of children labeled with ADD/ADHD
As the grandparent of a child who suffered from thinking he was a freak because his elementary teacher labeled him as having ADD and demanded his parents put him on ritalin, (it... Read more
Published on January 2, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars I was very relieved to have found this book
A friend told me about this book, but she said it was about "Geniuses" which she believes my son to be. Read more
Published on December 15, 1998 by karlethe@aol.com

5.0 out of 5 stars The Edison Trait is an Award Winning Masterpiece!
The Edison Trait is an amazing book. It finally gives credit to kids everywhere who have been misunderstood and punished because of that lack of understanding. Read more
Published on November 3, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars SELF ACCEPTANCE FOR ADD/ADHD EDISONIANS
Tears streamed down my face,as I read this book!!! I loved this book so much that I traveled out from NY to Encinitas CA to meet its terrific author,Dr Palladino!! Read more
Published on June 29, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars How to preserve a child's gift and improve parenting skills
Because I was an Edison Trait child, I wasn't sure if I was reading the book for my son or for me! Many times I thought how much better our lives would have been if I had... Read more
Published on May 26, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars O.K. to be a square peg in a round world
For years I had been trying to encourage my child to be more like her peers, while preserving her unique, creative talents. Read more
Published on March 10, 1998

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