Parenting Made Easier with Astrology By Kathleen Scott, C.A.P. © 2004

The ARIES Parent: In your eagerness for your child to do well, this parent might have a tendency to be over-hard. Your lack of patience doesn’t help either! “My child first!” might be the cry we hear from you. This tendency to push a child could be your worst fault. You still remember the child in you and can relate to your youngster’s needs. Your outgoing qualities make you a good parent, but try to remember to let your child develop at their own rate.

The ARIES Child: These children are natural leaders and are full of enthusiasm. You will often hear them saying “Me first!” The Arian child is full of energy and requires much discipline. If you are too strict, however, your child will be driven to rebellion and willfulness. At school, you may find that their attention span is short, and that they prefer the playground to the classroom. Aries children tend to be careless and lazy about subjects they are not interested in. Once your Arian child has found his or her particular niche, however, you will have trouble stopping him or her. There will be no holding back!

The TAURUS Parent: You will want to give your children the best money can buy; and you will expect the results to show. You can tend to be strict and your discipline too harsh. With your liking for discipline, you could have a tendency towards being dogmatic and you could ignore the fact that your children may not sympathize with your ideas. The TAURUS Child: These children are generally very responsible. They can be very stubborn and strong-willed, since they know what they like and what they don’t like, and are not afraid to voice their likes and dislikes. Taurean children should be weaned from their possessiveness at an early age by being encouraged to share their toys and games. Their inborn instinct for discipline will be most evident at school, for they enjoy obeying the rules! They do best when they are gently led, these children should not be forced, they are plodders and their progress may be slow, but they remember everything they do learn.

The GEMINI Parent: You can be a wonderful parent, as your own wide interests will foster the waking interests of your child. You will see to it that your child has plenty of books and plenty of encouragement to read from a very early age. Your own sense of curiosity and love of variety, and controversy, may well stimulate a similar interest in your children. The GEMINI Child: These children need plenty of intellectual stimulation, and will consume books and ideas while their friends are eating sweets! You may notice that your Gemini enjoys answering the telephone, as communication is their middle name. These children have a tendency to skim the surface and they should be encouraged to finish anything they start. Restlessness and tension should be watched for. Be sure you have plenty of pencils, notebooks and intellectual games around. Discipline is not tolerated well by Geminis, especially if they are asked to stop talking. This is the child who has million questions! While this child’s mind may need taming and disciplining, they will always be lively and susceptible to intellectual stimulation.

The CANCER Parent: Cancer is traditionally the sign of parenting, but that charming convention can rebound on the children of a Cancerian, for the parent is all too likely to refuse to accept the fact that his or her children are growing up. The Cancer parent’s tenacious efforts to keep the family unit together can even provoke a split. Cancerians tend to put the family first, under the right conditions, it can be marvelously rewarding! The CANCER Child: The Cancer child is extremely affectionate and can be easily hurt. You will notice that these children tend to be moody. Like the crab, they present a tough exterior in order to protect their very soft interior. They enjoy their family circle and any tentative move to step outside this magic circle can fill them with horror and dread. Their excellent memories pay off for them at school and you may find that their favorite subject is history.

The LEO Parent: A Leo expects as much from his child as he expects from himself, and tends to be unduly disappointed if the child does not measure up to his ideals. A Leo parent can be over-dominating, but they do not generally make a burden of parenthood, in fact, they tend to embark upon it with enthusiasm, or not at all. Characteristically, Leos will spend more than they can afford on their children, sometimes for the wrong reasons. They will be enormously proud of them, and if the children are lively and enthusiastic, there will be a great deal of family happiness. However, if the child is timid and shy, the parent should be careful not to swamp the child with their own exuberances. On the whole, Leo parents get a great deal of fun out of bringing up their children. The LEO Child: This child needs careful handling. He or she may be too full of him or herself...they do need guidance. It should be made clear to them that they are not the only child in the world, nor even the cleverest. They crave attention, praise and admiration. Show them this when they have earned it and also show them how they can improve their efforts. They may need to be taught not to be bossy, which is the other side of the coin of leadership...a natural trait of theirs.

The VIRGO Parent: The Virgoan traits of wanting perfection, neatness and tidiness can make him or her a difficult parent. This mother can be upset out of all proportion when her children come home from school dirty or untidy, and walk over her nice clean floor. Although there is a tendency to be over-critical, the Virgoan parent can happily encourage his or her children to spend their free time usefully and practically, and is particularly helpful with their homework. At times, this parent may lack even real warmth and affection. This tendency should be carefully watched and every effort should be made to be a positive influence around your children. The VIRGO Child: These children are loved by their teachers since they tend to be neat, even tidying up after less careful children; they do their homework and are always asking the right questions. These children will be reasonable if what is demanded of them is properly explained. Out of school they should be encouraged to paint, to create and to make things, as they love to be constructively busy. You may notice that these children are picky eaters. Their constitutions prefer a vegetarian diet and they are not likely to “pig out”!

The LIBRA Parent: The affectionate Libran will enjoy an affectionate child, and he or she will also see that the child is polite as well. These parents like to see their children look their best and mother will spend an above-average amount of time and money in ensuring that they are well-dressed; if they tend to tomboyish or careless, he or she will be distressed. Librans are generally easy-going with their children and will pretend to be disciplinarians, but their threats are rarely carried out. Over a period of time, the wise child will see this and take advantage of it. The LIBRA Child: This child is known for their abundant charm which they use to their own advantage. They tend to be extremely pleasant and friendly and are not likely to need strong discipline. Other children will follow their example. They should be encouraged, however, to make their own decisions and not to rely on parents or older siblings for support. Encouragement to work steadily and to develop their artistic interests should be given. They will enjoy taking music and dancing lessons, as well as having access to art materials. These children tend not to understand the behavior of rougher, uncouth children. They just do not relate to them. Children of this type may be jealous of the Libra child, since the school staff will be on the side of the Libra child.

The SCORPIO Parent: As might be expected form their main characteristics, Scorpio parents tend to be over-demanding and may be rather strict in his or her role as a parent. However, remembering their great talent for enjoying life it is likely that he or she will enjoy the company of their children and keep them busy with outings. Scorpios are generally very stubborn and fixed in their opinions and they do not give way easily when their children ask for favors. These parents, must from time to time, revise their opinions, especially in contemporary and controversial issues; otherwise, he or she will add to the generation gap.

The SCORPIO Child: the Scorpio child must be kept busy and allowed plenty of outlets for their highly powered emotional energy. Toy forts, books about knights in shining armor and princesses in towers, as well as detective stories will entertain them. The boys should be encouraged to help their fathers in their “manly duties” and the girls should be encouraged to help their mother with chores around the house. The Scorpio child’s tendency to be secretive should be developed positively. They should, for instance, be encouraged to plan surprises for the rest of the family. The slightest indication of jealousy should be observed and channeled into more positive emotions.

The SAGITTARIUS Parent: Natural optimism bolsters the Sagittarian’s faith in his children and he or she will find the whole business of parenthood a constant challenge to him or her. This parent is usually better with older children that they can talk to on an intellectual level, or play sports with, or travel with. He or she will have great fun with their children and these children will make much progress because of their wonderfully stimulating home life. The SAGITTARIUS Child: Sagittarius children can appear to be a little wild, the girls somewhat tomboyish, but they will be good at games and athletics and they are naturally intelligent. They will not like restrictive discipline and will feel extremely inhibited if they have restrictions. This sun sign truly enjoys the outdoors and this is where you will find them most of the time. These children need to have a lot of stimulation around them, so stories, books and movies about far away places and foreign people will be very attractive to them.

The CAPRICORN Parent: This parent may tend to dominate his or her children, and their preoccupation with success can get out of hand. Oftentimes, they are too busy working to spend the time they need to get to know their children in play. Their delightful dry sense of humor should certainly be a plus and this parent should always be ready with praise, encouraging his or her children to aspire, as he or she does, to better things in life. The CAPRICORN Child: These children tend to look and act older than their counterparts and they usually enjoy the company of older people. They tend to keep their problems to themselves and should be encouraged to talk about their hurts. Since these children are creatures of habit, you will find that they enjoy a set routine. They also get great satisfaction from accomplishing small things, having a sense of permanence and reading good books.

The AQUARIUS Parent: This parent will want their child to be as independent as he or she is, and will support the most modern educational techniques. They may also attempt to "force an old head on young shoulders", they will be friendly, rational and kind. The Aquarian parent finds it difficult for real affection and may find that something is missing between him or her and their children. Hopefully, there will be someone in the family who can provide the warm fuzzies children need. The AQUARIUS Child: Aquarian children are very independent, like doing things their own way, are usually very clever and should be encouraged to develop their natural tendency towards inventiveness as early as possible. They are quick to learn, but can be erratic in what the do with their time. These children truly do “march to the tune of a different drummer”. They have no problem working alone on projects they enjoy. They have great charm and usually seek out friendships as a diversion.

The PISCES PARENT: It is important that the Piscean parent recognize his or her failings in practical matters and make sure his or her children do not copy them. They generally find it difficult to insist on any form of correction, even verbal. It is for this reason, that oftentimes children of Pisceans tend to be spoiled. The PISCES Child: Piscean children are most susceptible to the energies around them, and are eager to try and escape from reality if they find their surroundings unpleasant. Movies, books, music or art, can be positive outlets for them. These children love being near or in the water. It is not easy for this child to conform; they generally don’t like discipline or routine. Their natural kindness, sympathy and charm and genuine softness will ensure them many friends.

It should be noted here, that children tend to be more like their MOON sign in the first seven years of their lives and more like their MERCURY sign from the ages of seven to fourteen. The planets VENUS in girls and MARS in boys, seem to have a strong influence on children from age fourteen to twenty-one...after that...you will see the "child" become more like their SUN sign and or their RISING sign as they grow into adulthood...which is age 28, the time of the first "Saturn Return"!