Interested in your child's astrological make-up? Astrology and the parent-child relationship

"My little Leo Princessa… you were born with swag… You have a way of making every room shine bright with your light".  

Celeb mom Jessica Alba's birthday tribute to her daughter Haven was not only sweet but right on point about little Leos. 

It's clear that the mom knows her stuff about astrology, and she isn't the only one interested in the topic as it relates to parenting.

In an article titled How Astrology Took Over the Internet published on the New York Times, Amanda Hess writes about the current spike in interest in astrology; "I think the astrology boomlet owes as much to the dynamics of the modern internet as it does to any sort of cosmic significance about the millennial’s place in the universe. Astrology checks several boxes for viral-happy content: It provides an easy framework for endlessly personalised material, targets women and accesses ’90s nostalgia. It’s the cosmic BuzzFeed quiz."

The Atlantic's Julie Beck adds: "In a stressful, data-driven era, many young people find comfort and insight in the zodiac—even if they don’t exactly believe in it.

"Astrology expresses complex ideas about personality, life cycles, and relationship patterns through the shorthand of the planets and zodiac symbols. And that shorthand works well online, where symbols and shorthand are often baked into communication."

Both writers and the experts they've spoken to make it clear that astrology is a cultural or psychological phenomenon, and not a scientific one. "Astrology is not a science; there’s no evidence that one’s zodiac sign actually correlates to personality," writes Beck.

According to the New York Post, astrology has taken off as a trending tool to help parents better understand their children. 

"It's the ability to tailor a unique parenting approach that seems to be attracting 20- and 30-somethings in droves, astrologers say, and has led to a flurry of new books released on the subject with at least five published just in the past year," writes the Post's Melkorka Licea. 

A multifaceted tool 

Astrologer and author of Star Child: Joyful Parenting Through Astrology, Briana Saussy, says that at its most basic description, astrology is the study of how celestial bodies like the stars and planets relate to each other, the Earth and, in turn, all of us. 

Much more than just a guide for love seeking singletons, the US-based Saussy says astrology can be a multifaceted tool for people interested in understanding themselves, their family members, and other relationships. 

Also see: 'They thrive on physical outlets': Understanding your Aries child 

'The big picture'

"Exploring our natal chart can give us insight into our personal issues, our patterns, our fears and also our dreams," says local astrologer Dawn E. Carter. 

"The natal chart creates a map unique to you and your true self. In order to draw up an accurate natal or birth chart, one requires the individuals' place of birth and exact time of birth," Carter explains. 

Breaking it down into individual components, Carter says a natal chart will show: 

• The planets and their positions - the actors in a play. 
• The sign that each planet is in - the actors' costumes and motivation. 
• The houses that the planets are in - the backdrop for the action, the play's scenery. 
• The aspects or angles that planets make to each other in your natal chart - how the different actors interact with each other and the types of scenes they play out. 

"The moment of our birth is a significant moment. By studying the planetary arrangements through a series of mathematical calculations at that specific moment, astrology helps us see ourselves and life in a greater perspective to obtain the big picture," Carter says. 

Also read: 'Routine and a sense of belonging': Understanding your Taurus child 

Core planets 

Below, Saussy explains how the Sun, Moon, Mars and Venus, also known as the personal planets in astrology, relate to the individual. 

The Sun

The Sun speaks to what I think of as our core or essential qualities, and also deals with our ability to perceive and understand information.  

The Moon

The Moon speaks to our emotional lives - the feelings, stories, old wounds, and hidden gifts that we carry with us into the world. 

Mars

Mars can give us a lot of information about our physical health and energy as well as our sense of daring. 

Venus

Venus talks about how we love, what we find beautiful, and what kinds of relationships are most important to us.

"The zodiacal sign that each planet falls into at the time of our birth - Aries through Pisces - gives us further specific information about how that particular planet's song shows up in our lives," Saussy notes.

If you're wondering why Saussy refers to the Sun and Moon as planets, Carter clarifies.

"Technically, the Sun and the Moon are luminaries, not planets. However, in astrology, we consider the Sun and the Moon to be planets for the purpose of creating and analysing natal charts". 

Read more: 'They need mental and intellectual stimulation': Understanding your Gemini child 

'Planets do not control our lives'

Carter says that while useful, parents and those interested in knowing more about astrology should approach the subject with a realistic mindset, noting that it "does not have all of the answers". 

"Astrology is not fortune-telling, and neither does one have to be psychic to read a chart for someone. It is not a religion and is definitely not an 'enemy' of religion. It is a tool that has a wide range of applications. When skillfully applied, it can be an extremely effective predictive tool and give us a deeper understanding of our individual life paths and our experiences. However, we must remember that the planets do not control our lives. We still have free choice in all matters". 

Saussy urges parents to use astrology to deepen their understanding of their children's needs.

"Parents interested in their child's astrological make-up should not use astrology as a way to pigeonhole their child; instead, they should let whatever astrological patterns they notice be springboards for asking questions. Instead of 'My child is a Scorpio, so I know they are going to be difficult and get into trouble', I'd like to see parents asking, 'My child is a Scorpio - how can I best support them in flourishing and thriving?'"

 Find the rest of our astrological guide to parenting here.  

Get in touch with the astrologers

Briana Saussy is the author of Making Magic: Weaving Together the Everyday and the Extraordinary and Star Child: Joyful Parenting Through Astrology. You may find her work at: brianasaussy.com.

Dawn E. Carter is available for queries at info@souldirection.co.za or visit her website souldirection.co.za. 

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Note from the editor: This article was updated to make it clear that astrology, although a helpful tool of insight and guidance for some, is a cultural phenomenon and not based on science. Astrology has not demonstrated its effectiveness in controlled studies and has no scientific validity.