Tarot for babies and toddlers

[vee]

Well, my son likes to look at the pictures and mimic me, that's the reason I asked about decks for kids. I'm actually mostly agnostic and although tarot cards serve a spiritual purpose for me I'm not interested in defining my sons spiritual path for him. But it has nothing to do with his spirituality or intuition right now, he's two! He just likes looking at them and I get that. Tarot cards aren't just spiritual guides for me, they're also neat art and writing prompts and a card game. They're all over my life and house and while I'm only going to teach him if he expresses a desire, I'm not going to hide them either.

 

[gregory]

Also, I *do* invite my children to take part in my spiritual life. That's part of what parents do when they raise their kids. We talk about seasons, we talk about creation myths, we talk about feelings and powers that are felt but unseen. We create altars from treasures we find and we light candles and talk about people who we remember and miss. Sharing a spiritual bond is a very normal family activity, I assure you.

I love this, tarotmama. It is all about being close to our children and sharing what is important to us with them.

Well, my son likes to look at the pictures and mimic me, that's the reason I asked about decks for kids. I'm actually mostly agnostic and although tarot cards serve a spiritual purpose for me I'm not interested in defining my sons spiritual path for him. But it has nothing to do with his spirituality or intuition right now, he's two! He just likes looking at them and I get that. Tarot cards aren't just spiritual guides for me, they're also neat art and writing prompts and a card game. They're all over my life and house and while I'm only going to teach him if he expresses a desire, I'm not going to hide them either.

Right on, vee. And if we tell our children that they can't look at the things we like to look at, that gives them a rather ANTI-tarot message, too.

 

[Zephyros]

I don't see why not. I have none, but I think that time spent learning Tarot with children is quality time well spent, and I would certainly rather buy them a deck than an iPhone.

But it has to be done properly; before they learn to run they need to know how to walk, and learning Tarot can, in my opinion, greatly add to a child's depth, interpersonal skills, empathy and personality as a whole. It is first important to teach them to see the world through Tarot's eyes, get used to its way of thinking. I suppose Tarot certainly isn't for parents who plop their kids in front of the TV all day, it inherently suggests more time spent with them, a deeper bond that needs to be built. Tarot certainly isn't for parents who plop their kids in front of the TV all day.

ETA: Like I said, I have no children, so I don't know the right way to teach them, and reading my post I don't think the way I suggested is appropriate, but I do think Tarot can benefit a child greatly.

 

[emmsma]

For me, the tarot is a big part of my life. I read, I look, I collect. My son is also a large part of my life. It would feel unnatural to keep the two separate.

I am not ashamed of my cards and therefore do not hide them from him. When he was younger, and more likely to be rough with the cards, he didn't get to hold them.

He did, for awhile like to look through the cards and give me his interpretation for what he was looking at. I think this was a fun and enlightening exercise. He was 7 or 8 when he created his own Piggie Tarot deck. Again, he interpreted what the card meant to him and drew his own image.

He has very clear ideas on this and I loved the process of seeing what he'd come up with.

I don't worry that he will be overwhelmed by the messages he receives because it is his 9 year old mind that will be interpreting them. I think messages that will be over his head will just not register.

Everyone has their own way of raising their children. For me, sharing the tarot with my son has been a wonderful enriching experience for both of us.

 

[caridwen]

Well, my son likes to look at the pictures and mimic me, that's the reason I asked about decks for kids. I'm actually mostly agnostic and although tarot cards serve a spiritual purpose for me I'm not interested in defining my sons spiritual path for him. But it has nothing to do with his spirituality or intuition right now, he's two! He just likes looking at them and I get that. Tarot cards aren't just spiritual guides for me, they're also neat art and writing prompts and a card game. They're all over my life and house and while I'm only going to teach him if he expresses a desire, I'm not going to hide them either.

It's already been explained to me through this thread and now I understand why I had this reaction to the thought of it.

Some people don't take Tarot as seriously nor have as much respect for it as others. Some people use Tarot as a 'game' and not a spiritual tool.

I see Tarot very differently and also view children and spirituality very differently. I am also agnostic and really don't like the idea of imposing my spiritual beliefs on anyone. Everyone is free to believe whatever they want as far as I'm concerned and I respect that but also expect respect for my beliefs in return.

I would choose not to bring my child up within a spiritual system, however they are free to choose one for themselves if they wish and I would respect that. That does not mean that I would not bring them up with values and responsiblity.

I don't see Tarot cards as a game, as flashcards or checkers or anything else. They are important to me and my spiritual development which is why I had that gut reaction

eta I've just read over some replies and want to remind people that this thread is about babies and toddlers. A toddler is a child just beginning to walk as far as I'm aware. 5,6,7,8 year olds aren't toddlers as far as I know

 

[vee]

Honestly I resent the implication that I don't take Tarot as seriously or respect it as much as you do. I take it very seriously I just express it differently. I also don't think I'm imposing anything on my kid by giving him something he asks for. I get where you are coming from and I respect it, everyone is allowed different perspectives! I just kind of feel talked down to here, maybe I am being overly defensive.

 

[Tansey Ella]

It depends of what the pics show. Some tarot cards are inappropriate for children just as some reading material is-I wouldn't take books away from children just b/c some folks write porn.
I used to play with " Good Witch , Bad Witch " with my twins. They just loved the cards and eventually had me reading them to them. It has a name game feature that is fun .
So basically, age appropriate is all I see as important.
Remember , lots of folks buy Bible cards for their kids.

 

[emmsma]

I realize in my post I am talking about events when my child is older. An infant can look at the cards, but can't really do more than that. A toddler, likewise is limited in how he/she can relate to them. It isn't until they are older that they can begin to have a relationship with them.

I do understand what you are saying about your feelings about the tarot as a spiritual tool and that you wish for your children to choose their own path. How are they to do this if they are not exposed to spirituality?

I was raised Catholic. My parents taught me their ways, until I was old enough to choose for myself. My son is agnostic. I share my beliefs with him, but don't feel that letting him know how I feel is necessarily imposing those beliefs on him. We often talk about different belief systems. He knows that he can follow his own path when he finds it.

 

[caridwen]

Honestly I resent the implication that I don't take Tarot as seriously or respect it as much as you do. I take it very seriously I just express it differently. I also don't think I'm imposing anything on my kid by giving him something he asks for. I get where you are coming from and I respect it, everyone is allowed different perspectives! I just kind of feel talked down to here, maybe I am being overly defensive.

I wasn't speaking to you directly even though I quoted you. I kept my language neutral and wasn't implying it was you implicitly.

I suppose that I also felt resentful and that is what I was trying to work my way through by hearing different views and perspectives. It was through hearing how people see Tarot as a game and just pieces of paper that I realised why I was having this reaction and others weren't.

You aren't being talked down to I am trying to understand other people's perspectives and trying to understand why I feel so strongly about it.

 

[Tansey Ella]

I see nothing wrong with exposing my children to a spiritual system. If you do not , someone else will. At least let them see how you feel. This is different from scaring small children with the concept of hell or Armageddon.