Do you have trouble communicating with your child?

Do you sense something is bothering them but they’re having a hard time articulating it?

If this sounds like your situation,  you may want to consider breaking out a tarot deck the next time you and your child are at a conversational impasse.

In my experience, children are often fascinated with the cards.  Any time I’ve ever pulled out my deck in the presence of a child, they’ve wanted to “play” with them.

Here’s how you can turn that “play” into something meaningful.  

The next time your child seems to be having an issue, get out your deck.  (I recommend using a child friendly deck such as the Fairy Tale Tarot by Lisa Hunt – or my favorite, The Whimsical Tarot by Mary Hanson-Roberts, which is sadly, out of print as of this writing.)  

Have the child shuffle the cards and then fan them out, face up.

Let them go through the deck and pick a card or two that best describes how they are feeling today.  Use the cards they picked to start a dialogue.  Ask questions such as “how does this card make you feel?”  or “how do you think the figure in the card is feeling?  Can you relate to that?”  Continue to probe gently and more importantly, listen deeply without judgment.

If the child is still having trouble telling you what is going on, suggest they tell a story with the cards they pulled and use that as a starting point for discussion.  Again, ask questions and encourage them to share freely.

Although tarot is by no means a substitute for therapy or the heart to heart talk, it can be a fun and gentle way to create a safe space for a child to open up.  

“A child seldom needs a good talking to as a good listening to.” ~Robert Brault

Blessings!

Theresa

© Theresa Reed | The Tarot Lady

*A special note – do not use the tarot for someone else’s child without their permission.  Also, tarot is NEVER a substitute for psychological issues.  Always seek the proper help.

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