The Edison Trait: Saving the Spirit of Your Free-Thinking Child in a Conforming World
by By Palladino, Lucy Jo
Category: Psychology , Psychotherapy , Child & Adolescent

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.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.