Actually, Edna never played the role of the perfect mother. The other women of Grand Isle tried to teach her how, and for a while she tried to learn, but Le'once was never happy with her. The children didn't cry when they fell, they got up and wiped their eyes. In those days, wealthy women were expected to do what now would be considered spoiling, and to have a child who didn't ever wail and cry was inappropriate and disturbing.