Why did Isaac Newton’s mother initially expect him to manage the family estate?

Isaac Newton’s mother, Hannah Ayscough, expected him to manage the family estate because she had become a widow for the second time following the death of her husband, Barnabas Smith, in 1653. As a result of this bereavement, she possessed a considerable amount of property and determined that her first-born son should take on the responsibility of overseeing it.1

However, this plan proved unsuccessful, as Newton showed little interest in rural affairs. When tasked with watching the cattle, he would often neglect his duties to read books under a tree. Recognizing that his management would be detrimental to both the estate and Newton himself, his family eventually sent him back to grammar school in Grantham to prepare for university.1