The Story of Sharing Apples: A Powerful Lesson About Parenting and Character
An inspirational story about how two different parenting approaches shaped two very different lives. A powerful lesson about education, honesty, and effort.
The Story of Sharing Apples
The First Lessons Come from Family
The earliest education in a person’s life usually comes from family, especially from a mother’s influence.
A famous American psychologist once conducted a study to understand the impact of mothers on their children’s lives.
He selected 50 highly successful people from across the United States, individuals who had achieved great accomplishments in their fields.
At the same time, he selected 50 people with criminal records.
He wrote to all of them, asking them to describe how their mothers had influenced them during childhood.
Among all the replies, two letters left the deepest impression on him.
One came from a well-known figure in the White House.
The other came from a prisoner serving time in jail.
Surprisingly, both letters described the same childhood story about sharing apples.
The Prisoner’s Story
The prisoner wrote:
“When I was young, one day my mother brought home several apples. Some were red, some were green, and they were different sizes.
I immediately noticed the largest and reddest apple and wanted it badly.”
His mother placed the apples on the table and asked him and his younger brother:
“Which apple do you want?”
He was about to say he wanted the biggest apple when his brother spoke first.
Their mother frowned and scolded the younger brother:
“You must learn to give the best things to others instead of always thinking about yourself.”
Hearing this, the boy quickly changed his answer.
“Mom, I want the smallest one. Let my brother have the biggest.”
His mother was very pleased. She kissed him and rewarded him with the biggest apple.
He had achieved exactly what he wanted.
And from that moment on…
he learned how to lie.
Later in life he learned to fight, steal, and cheat to get what he wanted.
Eventually, he ended up in prison.
The Successful Man’s Story
The successful man wrote:
“When I was young, my mother also brought home several apples of different sizes.
My brothers and I all wanted the biggest one.”
His mother held up the largest and reddest apple and said:
“This apple is the best. Everyone wants it.”
“Now let’s have a competition.”
She divided the lawn in front of the house into three sections.
“Each of you will cut one section of grass. Whoever finishes first and does the best job will win this apple.”
The three brothers began working.
In the end, he won the competition and received the biggest apple.
He later wrote:
“I will always be grateful to my mother. She taught me the simplest and most important lesson in life:
If you want the best, you must work hard and strive to be the best.”
The Power of Parenting
There is a famous saying:
“The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”
A mother is the child’s first teacher.
She can teach a child how to lie, or she can teach a child honesty, fairness, and effort.
True education is not only about words.
It is about example and action.
Children learn not just from what parents say, but from what they do.
Moral of the Story
The way children are taught in their early years can shape the direction of their entire lives.
Honesty, effort, and fairness must be taught not only through words but through actions and example.
Why This Story Still Matters Today
In today’s world, character education is more important than ever. Children grow up surrounded by competition, social media influence, and countless external pressures.
This story reminds us that the way parents teach values during childhood can shape a person’s entire future.
Honesty, fairness, and hard work are not learned through lectures alone. They are learned through the examples parents set every day.
The lesson remains timeless: good parenting builds good character, and good character builds a meaningful life.