10-yr-old son wants to learn tarot- NEED ADVICE!!

I have two children, ages 11 (female) and 10 (male). My son has just recently begun to show a strong interest in the cards. In fact he begged me to buy him the Native American Tarot deck we saw in a store last week. Since then he continues to go to the deck I bought and sift through the cards, showing me famous chiefs and stories that are represented in the various images. He hasn't asked much, and I've just let him explore as he chooses. Yesterday, though, he asked if I'd please do a spread for him. I do spreads about my children all the time of course, but I've never had either of them specifically ask for me to do a spread. I will be honest about this-- I'm scared to do it. I am afraid that some cards will come up that will be more confusing than helpful to him and that perhaps I'm not developed enough yet as a reader to put these within the correct context and so forth. I think I could and I would trust the higher power that it would be okay, but I feel a lot of pressure about it, and some anxiety. So far I have kept him happy by telling him his Soul Card and talking with him about what it means... He is satisfied by that at the moment, but I know that more questions are coming as his interest in tarot seems to be increasing. He's an incredibly psychic, empathetic young man so I don't want to limit him because of my own fears or worries... You know? It is thanks to him that I even started down a path of exploring off-the-beaten paths concepts, theories, and phenomena... because when he was barely seven years old, he began having terrible flashbacks of some sort that went back to a previous life. Suffice it to say that I was deeply troubled by what was going on; I was open to the concept of past lives, but then suddenly I was faced with clear evidence of it in my son. I started reading every book I could find to try to understand why he was having these terrible episodes (crying and saying he doesn't want to leave his body so fast again, referencing people and situations that weren't from this life, etc.), and as I started doing some of the things suggested by these books (talking to him while he slept, reassuring him that he is safe in this life, that the other life is done, etc.) he improved. The point is, he is the one who indirectly put me on the path I am now on. Somehow that feels relevant now, because I don't want to deny him something he is ready to do or know about...yet I do have my worries that he is too young for me to read directly for him or for him to start learning to read the cards himself. Could any of you with more experience in this area be so kind as to give me some advice on this topic? Advice, tips, insight... anything. Thank you!!

satine said:

yet I do have my worries that he is too young for him to start learning to read the cards himself.

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Nobody is too young to learn and besides what harm can it possibly do.

I am not a mother and the advice I give should be taken with a grain of salt. I don't know what kinds of decisions I would make if I were a mother, and I'm too young to have thought much about it.

But for what it's worth:

Everyone matures at a different rate, and I don't know what level your son is at. However, at 10/11 years old, I was making a lot of big decisions. I was analytical and creative-minded. Adults at house parties my mom brought me to would often comment to her about how mature I was and talk to me for hours. Like I said...I don't know what level your son is at, but I *do* know that at 10/11, kids' brains can handle much more information and seriousness than most people give them credit for.

Tarot is not a dangerous tool. Or at least, it shouldn't be, provided both of you are using them for "regular" purposes. If he is interested in it, there may be a reason. Many of us here at AT have experienced the persistent flare interest in the metaphysical/tarot in particular that got us involved in this. Maybe there is a reason the cards call out to us. Additionally, if he is a psychic and has had visions for years, I'm almost positive he can handle tarot cards. The messages in them will never have the same level of intensity as visions can.

For me, exploring the Tarot has encouraged me to be more analytical, to see details, to appreciate a lot of different types of artwork, and to keep an open mind. I have begun to trust my intuition so much more, been constantly reminded of important life lessons and been encouraged to move on or take positive actions during my dark hours. Nothing I have learned from the tarot cards can be construed as bad or dangerous....and I am of the belief that we will often choose the card we "need to see" or that we *can* understand within the context...which means there is no way he should be taught lessons he doesn't need to know by the cards.

I say teach him. Try out a spread or two with him. If you guide him in the beginning and see something you don't like, you can keep it from him for a while. But trust me, by the time he's 13, if he is still interested in tarot, he will be reading books on his own and what are you going to do then? Take them away from him? He will find a way....many of us have. Restricting him, especially when you blatantly use the cards, will only keep him "safe" for so long...and it will take a good amount of explaining to make him understand why it's "safe" for you and not for him.

I would buy him the deck he wants if it were me. I find the more you stop something the more they will do it. If he gets tired of them, fine. If not you can buy him the book. Just let him play with them like it was any other thing and don't pay attention.

As for reading for him. If it were me, I would do one card or three card readings. I would let him figure them out at his own level and make it a fun game. My little granddaughter asked me as well. She is 7 so I said well take a card and lets see.. it was harmless. In this house and because of their upbringing.. Catholic school.. I cannot have her going to the teacher and
"spilling the beans" so I do low key my activity a bit when they are around.

I have Animal Medicine cards and she plays with them all the time and we play charades with them. I think the more you treat it casually the more he will as well. It will be old hat for him.

The more he matures he may be interested or not but I have found it a mistake to tell children too much as they get above their age level and while there minds are so receptive and imaginative it is not a good idea to tell too much as you always go beyond their level.

I do believe in encouraging a child with whatever interests he shows and it might develop into a natural talent. I am only a Mother of 3 and a grandmother of five so there are more experienced people than I out there.
As they say, "discretion is the better part of valour".

Niti, you make a lot of great points... Just to clarify, I don't consider the prospect of teaching him to be "dangerous" as such, but I do want him to be ready to wrap his brain around some of the deeper concepts and themes represented by the cards. He's intelligent and introspective, so I feel that he's ready in that respect. He tends to be really hard on himself at times, though, and has always been vulnerable to depression, which suggests to me that he may not be emotionally ready. I don't know, though; I can conversely see the tarot becoming a tool that actually helps him with this tendency.

I'd love to also hear from anyone who has worked with children and the tarot before, to see if there is any specific advice on that front. Thanks so much for the comments so far!!

This is great feedback. I did buy him the deck by the way, and he has been looking through it with interest. I also told him that it's fine if he wants to look at the manual to see what a card means or if he's right that it is Sitting Bull or some other person on that card, as he thinks it is. I haven't really stood in his way whatsoever, but I thought it might be helpful to some outside opinions on this topic to see how best to proceed from here... Thanks again!

memries said:

I would buy him the deck he wants if it were me. I find the more you stop something the more they will do it. If he gets tired of them, fine. If not you can buy him the book. Just let him play with them like it was any other thing and don't pay attention.

As for reading for him. If it were me, I would do one card or three card readings. I would let him figure them out at his own level and make it a fun game. My little granddaughter asked me as well. She is 7 so I said well take a card and lets see.. it was harmless. In this house and because of their upbringing.. Catholic school.. I cannot have her going to the teacher and
"spilling the beans" so I do low key my activity a bit when they are around.

I have Animal Medicine cards and she plays with them all the time and we play charades with them. I think the more you treat it casually the more he will as well. It will be old hat for him.

The more he matures he may be interested or not but I have found it a mistake to tell children too much as they get above their age level and while there minds are so receptive and imaginative it is not a good idea to tell too much as you always go beyond their level.

I do believe in encouraging a child with whatever interests he shows and it might develop into a natural talent. I am only a Mother of 3 and a grandmother of five so there are more experienced people than I out there.
As they say, "discretion is the better part of valour".

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Satine!

What a blessing!

Why not do a card a day with him? Why not do it at breakfast and tell him to pick a card for what the day will bring? I do it sometimes but I always pay attention to the shadow card (one on the bottom) - I believe it gives and overview. Anyway you can do it in the morning and then at dinner you can discuss his day and see what transpired that would relate to the card drawn.

I don't think there is anything wrong with it. There are NO bad cards! NONE! It is all about perspective.

My daughter is 4 and she plays pick a card with me and I ask her to tell me what she sees. I gave her her own deck on her bday a few weeks ago.... didn't go over well. So I left it alone ~ when she is ready she will tell me as he has you.


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Let him set the pace. Let him figure out what he wants to know. Let him look at the card and tell you what it says. Chances are he knows! I believe he is a very evolved little fellow and he will surprise you!

Satine,

I'll also add that I got started because my mom "just knew" I'd be able to read Tarot and bought me a deck when I was 12 or 13. The funny thing is tht it gto me interested in all sorts of esoteric subjects that wound up helping me in school: the classical elements, occult symbol, mythic patterns, ven rudimentary philosophy. And I was able to situate it mentally because I was shuffling and dealing with it. Reading taught me to look at the levels of a situation and to read symbols refractively. A wondrful mental tool that was the cornerstone not only of my academic work, but emotinal experience an the professional livelihood...

There is literally not a single argument to be made for stifling a child's curiosity. And there's certainly nothing in Tarot that is inappropriate or upsetting for a 10 year old. Compared to mass media, Tarot is downright old-fashioned.

Awesome that he's so excited! Keep us posted.

Shawn

Scion made the point much better than I could: considering today's popular culture, where tweens are encouraged to dress like little pimps and 'hos, where violence and rap music are all over, how could Tarot be anything but positive? It encourages self-reflection and introspection, after all.