The Kids are Alright tarot Spread

This spread should really be called the "Are the kids alright?" spread, but I'm trying to be positive about it. 

The truth is a lot of kids aren't alright right now. Some are sick, some are depressed, some are struggling in school, and others might appear to be doing just perfectly but their entire worlds are shattered in the background - how would you even know? This spread is to hopefully help you figure that out and give you a way to help if needed.

As a fortune teller, it is my belief that we should never do readings for other adults when they haven't expressed consent. It is for this reason that I don't do "does he/she love me" spreads or nonsense like that. I only do spreads that relate to the querent and how they are involved in their own situation. However, for children under the age of 18 it is well within a parent's purview to ask about them. I still do believe that young kids deserve a bit of agency in the matter, so I've created this spread about how you can best help them, rather than about what's going to happen to the kid themself. 

This spread is expandable - so any number of kids you have who are under the age of 18 can be asked about. It's not just for kids, either. You could ask about your pets, your plants, or something else you're in the care of - just make sure they're not freethinking adults who might dislike you doing readings about them behind their backs.

I have one child under the age of 18 and one new puppy, so when I do my reading I'll do it for those two. My adult children can do their own readings (I gave them each a deck of my Tarot cards for Christmas!)

Card A - You as a parent

• This is you! This is how you operate, your parenting or caregiving style, and maybe how you yourself are feeling in this moment. Parenting is hard, but parenting during a pandemic is all but impossible. How are you doing, Dad or Mum?

Card 1 - How is the kid doing?

• This is your kid - their general sense of wellbeing, where they are in the world, what they're struggling with. You--as a cool parent--probably already know what's going on with them, but it's nice to see it written out or looked at from a different perspective.

Card 2 - How can you help your kid?

• Here's an action you can take, someone you could reach out to for assistance, or a resource you could expend in order to help your kid get what they need.

Carry on with Cards 1 and 2 for each additional child/pet/rock/plant you have questions about.

Card Z - The family outcome

• This is the result for the family, if you do the work outlined in Card 2 for each child. I specifically do not have actions that the child should take, because this reading is about you and what you can do for them. Your kid has the freedom to make their own choices and decisions too (or even reject your help altogether!) but if you do the work outlined in card 2, the result for the family is what is indicated here regardless of whether or not your kid accepts your help or does anything to help themselves.
• If you get a negative card here, you could either read it as positively as possible, or you might want to reconsider how you initially interpreted Card 2. If you come up with a different interpretation for Card 2 (how to help), go ahead and draw another Family Outcome card and see if that's better.

I did this reading for my 17yo son who is struggling in school, and my 17 week old dog who is struggling with existence right now (or, more accurately, with whose existence I am struggling right now! ha ha! He's lucky he's cute because he's a bit of a nightmare.)

Card A - Me as a parent:

• The Death card leapt out of the deck while I was shuffling. It is exactly right - I am dealing with transitions, changes I cannot control, and a general feeling of helplessness in every parenting role I have. It's a disaster. I'm in therapy for it. 

Son Card 1 - How is my 17yo human son doing?

• Page of Wands, reversed. He is struggling with setbacks and a lack of direction. I know that already. Thanks for no new information, cards.

Son Card 2 - How can I help him?

• The Eight of Cups. Retreat? Give up? Well, okay. Maybe I should just let the chips fall where they may and lay off a little. I would still like him to graduate high school, though. 

Dog Card 1 - How is my 17wo puppy doing?

• Reversed queen of pentacles. He is driving me crazy. He is acting unnaturally for his breed. He is causing an imbalance in family and work commitments. Yes, very true.

Dog Card 2 - How can I help him?

• Knight of Pentacles. Stop and assess the situation? Read the mail? Invest in a safer car or house? Well, okay. My car and house are safe enough, but I suppose I should keep working on protecting them from my aggressive and insane chewing and climbing dog. I'll keep doing that. It will be fine. Maybe the knight is also reminding me to take it easy and give him a bit more time, and this will all work itself out as he grows. Fine!

Outcome for the Family

• The Reversed Queen of Swords. I'll be overly emotional, bitchy, and cold-hearted? I may have misinterpreted one of the cards along the way and will need to reassess. But for now, yeah, I'm a little overly emotional about everything. I'm in therapy for it, so at least I'm on the right track.
• I reinterpreted the Eight of Cups for how to help my son. One of the interpretations (in my own tarot book!) is to try a different solution (rather than give up and ignore the problem, which is how I initially interpreted it.) There are a few other solutions I could try, one of which is getting him enrolled in a different school rather than hoping the high school will help him out. I could have a talk with him about maybe doing that. Let's see what outcome I draw if I do that:
  • I drew the Tower Card - which is usually an ominous card about imminent disaster and total life destruction, but it could also be a card about overthrowing a system, bucking a tradition, or burning a huge institution to the ground (such as a high school that isn't helping my son anymore.) I may be on the right track here. I have to see how he feels about possibly switching schools. I don't think the suggestion will go over very well, but just asking him is doing my part to help out, and that might be enough. The rest can be up to him. 

So there you go, a reading for the parents out there who are struggling with the best ways to help their kids, both during a pandemic or at any time!  

For more Tarot Spreads, click the Spreads link at the side of this page.
For more info on the cards, read Applied Tarot