Parenting is hard, right? Every family has its own dynamics, traditions, challenges, and joys. And in those moments when parenting starts to feel like a guessing game, astrology can offer a few extra clues.
Your child’s sun sign can help you better understand their natural temperament, what motivates them, and how they tend to respond to the world around them.
It won’t answer every parenting question, but it can help you understand the person you’re raising and what they may need from you. Here’s how to parent your child based on their sign.
Aries is a high-energy sign that’s brave and impulsive. Aries children need to move their bodies every single day, even when it’s snowy outside. For some kids, that might mean team sports, while others are happier playing solo. Teach your Aries kid to ride a bike at a young age, then commit to a run, walk, or bike ride around the neighborhood each night.
Aries are also known for having a quick temper, which can be hard to handle in children. Before anything else, ask yourself if your Aries is hungry, tired, or overstimulated. This is often where those outbursts come from. Once their body and mind are tended to, help them find healthy ways to express their anger. Then help them put into words what made them so angry in the first place.
A Taurus child thrives on a steady routine. Make sure you stick to the routines you’ve established, and give your child plenty of notice if something is changing. Just as importantly, every Taurus, young or old, needs quiet downtime. This is especially true during periods of transition, like going back to school at the end of summer break. Teach your child that their rest is sacred.
Help build their confidence by trusting their sense of fashion, beauty, and design. Let your Taurus kid pick out their own wardrobe and hairstyles and help design their room. Giving them space to make choices and express their personal taste can go a long way. When given room to be themselves, a Taurus can be easygoing rather than a stubborn bull.
Geminis are one of the zodiac’s most mentally active signs. Your Gemini child notices everything and wants to know everything there is to know about everything. Indulge their curiosity. When you don’t know the answer, look it up together and learn more about how the world works. Giving that curious mind somewhere to go can keep them engaged.
Since Gemini has such a busy mind, these kids can be distractible, anxious, and flighty. Because of that, age-appropriate mindfulness practices can be especially helpful. It wouldn’t be realistic to expect a two-year-old to approach mindfulness the same way as a 12-year-old! Start with practices that fit their age and attention span. Then, as they get older, you can also introduce journaling.
Cancers are known as the softies of the zodiac. Cancer children need help learning how to name what they’re feeling. This can begin when your child is still an infant, with you or another caretaker verbally expressing what you think the baby is feeling while they cry. For example, if your baby is hungry and crying while you make a bottle, narrate what’s happening and acknowledge how hard it is to wait.
As the parent of a Cancer child, it’s important to help them learn how to care for their sensitivity. Observe what triggers upset, joy, anger, or sadness. Over time, you can adapt around their sensitivity while helping them better understand their emotions. That support can also help them build resilience as they grow.
A Leo child can be a natural leader or very shy. Leo is the sign of authenticity, leadership, nobility, and warmth. Leo children need to learn how to express those qualities in healthy ways, with an open heart and flexibility. One way to do that is by modeling the values you’re trying to teach. If you’re trying to instill self-confidence, avoid talking negatively about yourself or others in front of your child.
You can also expose your Leo child to different types of stories and media. By showing them that there are many ways to be a cool and decent person, you can help them feel less afraid to show their full selves. Later, as they grow into their creative gifts, modeling flexibility, kindness, and grace can help them work through self-doubt.
Virgo children are clever, inquisitive, and prone to anxiety. Their busy minds can get caught up in what could happen next, and then next, and then next. When that happens, help tend to the inevitable anxiety tummy ache by bringing them back to the present moment. Encourage them to talk through their fears, whether that means reassuring them that they’re worrying about a grown-up problem or reminding them that what they’re afraid of isn’t likely to happen.
Virgo children also love puzzles, building things, and learning how things work. They can channel some of that anxious energy into creativity or problem-solving around the house. Hands-on projects give their quick minds somewhere productive to go. You may be amazed at what they create!
Libras are known to be the diplomats of the zodiac. As children, they can have a hard time letting their own light shine. Encourage them to be fully themselves, even if they’re a little weird or quirky. Loving your Libra child for their uniqueness will help them build a strong sense of identity so they don’t get lost in other people’s ideas of who they “should” be.
Libras love pretty things, art, music, and beauty. This can be a wonderful way to teach them that no two people are exactly alike. At the same time, Libras have a strong relationship with order and harmony. Your Libra child might find low-key tidying or rearranging their bedroom into a more pleasing design surprisingly soothing.
Scorpio children have a reputation for being kind of spooky. They can see beneath the veneer of society into the raw, real underbelly of the world. Naturally, this can be off-putting to adults because a Scorpio child isn’t afraid to say the honest and potentially uncomfortable thing. Ask yourself: Is your Scorpio child spooky or brave?
Your Scorpio child will be able to see deeply into situations throughout their life. So, help them learn to discern when it’s appropriate to speak up. Not everyone wants their business out in the open, and not everyone is ready for total honesty. Still, if your Scorpio child says something truthful but off-putting at a social event, make sure you have their back. Scorpios are very sensitive to feeling betrayed and can lose trust easily.
Sagittarius children love to explore their world. Go with them! Their impulsive and restless nature needs an outlet, and Sagittarius kids really need to move their bodies. Teach them how to find their way through the world with a compass, a map, and their home address. From there, let them explore safely and age-appropriately and bring back stories of their adventures.
Sometimes Sagittarius can be too blunt and speak their mind too quickly. To balance that, help them learn patience and discernment by modeling those qualities yourself. You can also share stories that help them understand good judgment and when to slow down before speaking. After all, a Sagittarius child likes to explore both their inner and outer worlds, so guide them as they go.
A Capricorn child needs to know that their parents are the people they can let their guard down around. Home should be a soft landing place after a long day out in the world. Beyond that, Capricorns also need their parents to teach them about personal boundaries. Giving them that sense of security can make it easier for them to relax at home.
One of the most important things parents of Capricorn children can do is respect their child’s boundaries when they’re expressed safely and age-appropriately. By doing so, you’ll help them understand why other people’s boundaries matter too. Most Capricorn children also love to problem-solve. Bring them along while you take care of DIY projects around the house and teach them how to fix things.
An Aquarius child can be quite introverted and sensitive to the world. Aquarius children may prefer to socialize in smaller, more low-key ways. For example, think about parallel play, the developmental stage when toddlers play quietly beside one another without necessarily interacting. You can bring that same idea into your relationship with your Aquarius child as they grow.
They may enjoy company that doesn’t always expect them to talk or socialize. However, when your Aquarius child is ready to share what they’ve been learning or doing, pay genuine attention. Aquarius can tell when someone is faking interest and may withdraw back into their inner world. To maintain that trust, listen actively, ask questions, and show interest in whatever they’re currently fascinated by.
Pisces children are deeply sensitive and can absorb emotional energy from their surroundings. It may be difficult for a Pisces child to tell where they stop and the world begins. Because of that, help them learn to differentiate between themselves, other people, and the world around them by connecting them to their bodies.
From there, go beyond simply naming body parts and help them connect their emotions to how they feel physically. If you notice that your Pisces child is sensitive to bright lights, for example, ask how the light makes them feel and offer to dim it. You can also help them work through big emotions with imaginative play, giving them a way to talk through what’s happening in their heart without taking away their sense of whimsy.