May's Educational Consult

She Was Told Women Didn’t Build Cities.

So She Built One Anyway.

San Francisco, 1872. The world Julia Morgan was born into had rules—clear, rigid, and unapologetic. Women could teach. They could nurse. They could decorate. But designing buildings? Engineering cities? That was men’s work.

Julia Morgan never bothered arguing with those rules.
She simply ignored them.

At eighteen, she enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley to study civil engineering. She was usually the only woman in lecture halls filled with skeptical men who assumed she wouldn’t last. She didn’t just last—she graduated in 1894 as the only woman in her engineering class.

Her mentor looked at her work and told her to aim higher. Much higher.
Apply to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris—the most prestigious architecture school in the world.

There was just one problem.
They had never admitted a woman. Not once.

Julia went anyway.

In 1897, after sustained pressure from French women artists, the school finally allowed women to sit for the entrance exam. Julia took it. She failed—placing 42nd out of 376 applicants. Only the top 30 were accepted.

She tried again six months later.
She failed again.

Many historians believe her scores were deliberately lowered because she was a woman. The message was clear: You’re not wanted here.

Julia took the exam a third time.

This time, she placed 13th out of 392 applicants. The school could no longer pretend she didn’t belong. She became the first woman ever admitted to study architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts.

But there was another obstacle. Students had to graduate before turning 30. Julia was already 25. She had less than five years to complete a program that often took far longer.

She worked relentlessly.
No drama. No complaints. Just discipline.

In February 1902—one month before her 30th birthday—she earned her certificate. The first woman in history to graduate in architecture from the École des Beaux-Arts.

Back in California, she joined an architectural firm. Her boss praised her brilliance to colleagues—then openly remarked that he could pay her “almost nothing, as it is a woman.”

Julia heard him.

She saved her money.
She planned quietly.
And she left.

In 1904, she became the first woman licensed as an architect in California, opening her own office in San Francisco.

Two years later, on April 18, 1906, the city was torn apart by a massive earthquake. Fires raged for days. Over 3,000 people died. Nearly 80% of San Francisco was destroyed.

But across the bay at Mills College in Oakland, something extraordinary stood untouched: a 72-foot bell tower Julia Morgan had designed using reinforced concrete—still a relatively new technique.

While buildings all around it collapsed, hers didn’t move.

Word spread fast.

Clients flooded her office. She rebuilt the Fairmont Hotel in under a year. She designed more than 30 YWCA buildings across multiple states, creating safe, dignified spaces for women when few existed. She took on the most ambitious project of her career—Hearst Castle, a 165-room estate she would oversee personally for 28 years.

Churches. Homes. Hospitals. Universities. Offices. Stores.

By the time she retired in 1951, Julia Morgan had designed more than 700 buildings—many of them still standing, still admired, still used.

She died in 1957 at age 85.
And for decades, the world barely remembered her.

Then, in 1988, a biography brought her work back into public view. Architects and historians began to understand the scale of what she had done. And in 2014—57 years after her death—the American Institute of Architects awarded Julia Morgan the AIA Gold Medal, its highest honor.

She was the first woman ever to receive it.

Julia Morgan didn’t fight the world with speeches or slogans.
She fought it with buildings.

She was underpaid. Underestimated. Told no at every critical turn.
So she kept working.

And the quietest revenge of all?

Everything she built is still standing.

Why the Most Difficult Child Often Becomes the Most Successful Later in Life 🚀

The traits that make a child difficult are often the same traits required for success when properly guided.

1. Persistence

Strong-willed children do not give up easily.

As adults this becomes:

✔️perseverance

✔️resilience

✔️entrepreneurial drive

Many innovators had this trait, including Thomas Edison, who was described as extremely stubborn in childhood.

2. Independent Thinking

These children prefer thinking for themselves instead of following the crowd.

This trait later produces:

✔️innovators

✔️reformers

✔️leaders

For example, Albert Einstein often challenged teachers and traditional thinking when he was young.

3. Courage to Challenge Authority

Strong personalities are willing to question rules.
In adulthood, this can become:

✔️moral courage

✔️leadership strength

✔️ability to challenge injustice

4. High Energy

Headstrong children usually have a lot of energy.
If directed well, this energy fuels:

✔️ambition

✔️productivity

✔️creativity

5. Strong Sense of Identity

They often know what they want and stand by their decisions.

This helps them avoid peer pressure later in life.

How Many Great Leaders Behaved as Children 👑

History shows that many famous leaders were difficult children.

1️⃣ Winston Churchill:

✔️Teachers described him as stubborn and rebellious.

✔️Later he became one of the most influential wartime leaders.

2️⃣ Nelson Mandela:

✔️He showed strong independence and courage from a young age.

✔️Those traits later helped him resist injustice for decades.

3️⃣ Martin Luther King Jr.

✔️ As a child he strongly challenged unfair treatment and injustice.

✔️ This sense of justice shaped his leadership in the civil rights movement.

Key Parenting Principle:

A heady child usually has three powerful raw traits:

✔️ Strong will

✔️ High intelligence

✔️ High emotional intensity

If parents combine discipline + patience + guidance, those traits can produce extraordinary adults.

If crushed with constant anger or humiliation, the child may become rebellious or withdrawn.

✅ A helpful mindset for parents

Do not ask:

“How do I control this child?”

Instead ask:

“How do I train this powerful personality?”

7 Warning Signs a Stubborn Child Might Become Dangerous if Not Guided Early ⚠️

Not every strong-willed child becomes successful. Without guidance, stubbornness can become destructive.

Watch for these signs:

1. Lack of Empathy

If a child does not care when others are hurt or sad.

2. Habitual Lying

Repeated lying without remorse.

3. Enjoying Hurting Others

Bullying siblings, animals, or classmates.

4. Extreme Defiance

Refusing all authority, not just questioning it.

5. No Sense of Consequences

Repeating harmful actions even after punishment.

6. Manipulative Behavior

Trying to control people through deception or intimidation.

7. Frequent Violent Anger

Uncontrolled rage that leads to breaking things or attacking others.

If several of these appear consistently, professional guidance may be needed from experts in child psychology, a field within Psychology.

20 Nigerian Proverbs About Raising Children 🇳🇬

Traditional wisdom about children is deeply rooted in many Nigerian cultures such as the

Igbo people and

Yoruba people.

Here are some powerful proverbs:

✔️“It takes a village to raise a child.”

✔️“A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.”

✔️“The child who washes his hands eats with elders.”

✔️“A good child brings pride to the family.”

✔️“Train a child well and he will train the next generation.”

✔️“A stubborn child learns wisdom through experience.”

✔️“A child’s character is shaped in the home.”

✔️“The habits formed in youth follow a man into old age.”

✔️“A child who listens grows in wisdom.”

✔️“Children are the arrows of the future.”

✔️“The tree bends while it is young.”

✔️“A wise child makes the heart of the father glad.”

✔️“A child without discipline becomes a sorrow to the family.”

✔️“Good training is better than riches.”

✔️“The words spoken to a child shape his destiny.”

✔️“Respect learned early lasts a lifetime.”

✔️“A child who learns work will never starve.”

✔️“Correction today prevents regret tomorrow.”

✔️“Children learn more from what they see than what they hear.”

✔️“Raise a child well and the world will benefit.”

These proverbs reflect generations of parenting wisdom.

✅ Final thought

A heady child is often raw potential.
With:

patience

discipline

encouragement

wise correction

that child may grow into a confident and influential adult.

Insights that many parents find very helpful when raising children.

1. The 9 Types of Children Many Parents Eventually Raise 👶

Most children fall into one of these personality patterns.

1. The Leader 👑
Confident, bold, and often organizes others.

Needs: Responsibility and guidance.

2. The Thinker 🧠
Quiet, analytical, and curious.

Needs: Books, learning opportunities, and intellectual challenges.

3. The Peacemaker ☮️
Tries to avoid conflict and keep everyone happy.

Needs: Encouragement to express their own opinions.

4. The Adventurer 🌍
Energetic and always exploring.

Needs: Physical activity and supervised freedom.

5. The Artist 🎨
Creative and imaginative.

Needs: Creative outlets like music, drawing, or storytelling.

6. The Sensitive Soul 💙
Emotionally deep and empathetic.

Needs: Emotional support and reassurance.

7. The Rebel ⚡
Questions authority and rules.

Needs: firm boundaries plus respect for their independence.

8. The Helper 🤝
Enjoys helping others and taking care of people.

Needs: appreciation and responsibility.

9. The Observer 👀
Quietly watches everything before acting.

Needs: patience and encouragement to participate.

Every child is usually a mix of two or three types, not just one.

When God decides to rewrite a man's destiny, he even decides to use natural disasters.

In school, Tim Duncan was a bright pupil and dreamt of becoming an Olympic-level swimmer like Tricia. His parents were very supportive, and he excelled at swimming, becoming a teenage standout in the 50-, 100-, and 400-meter freestyle and aiming to go to the 1992 Olympic Games as a member of the United States Team.

In 1989, after Hurricane Hugo destroyed the island's only Olympic-sized swimming pool, Duncan was forced to swim in the ocean instead, and his fear of sharks ruined his enthusiasm for the sport.

Duncan never swam competitively again, but his brother-in-law inspired him to turn to basketball. Initially, Tim had difficulties adapting to the game he thought would help relieve his pain and frustration.

He spent his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA. Nicknamed "the Big Fundamental", he is widely considered to be the greatest power forward of all time and one of the greatest players in NBA history.

After graduating from college, Duncan was the NBA Rookie of the Year after being selected by San Antonio with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft.

In his second season, he became the third player (alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to win NBA Finals MVP in his first two seasons after being drafted, guiding the Spurs to the 1999 NBA title.

He is a five-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA MVP, a three-time NBA Finals MVP, a 15-time NBA All-Star, and the only player to be selected to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams for 13 consecutive seasons.

10 Signs You May Be Raising a Future Leader 👑

Some behaviors that seem “difficult” in childhood are actually leadership traits in raw form.

1. They Speak Their Mind

They are not afraid to say what they think—even when adults disagree.

2. They Defend Others

If they see someone being treated unfairly, they step in.

3. They Naturally Organize Other Children

In games or activities, they tend to take charge.

4. They Ask Many Questions

Curiosity shows active thinking and intelligence.

5. They Prefer Solving Problems Themselves

Instead of immediately asking for help.

6. They Persist Until They Succeed

Failure rarely stops them.

7. They Like Responsibility

They feel proud when trusted with important tasks.

8. They Notice Injustice

Strong leaders often develop a strong sense of fairness early in life.

9. They Are Comfortable Standing Alone

They don’t always follow the crowd.

10. They Think Big

They talk about big dreams and possibilities.

These traits appear in many influential leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill.