Tarot cards for a 6 year old?!

[Imnotagilmoregirl]

Hi All,

So, my ex dropped off dd who is 6 after having her overnight, with a present. A pack of tarot cards. Now, without wishing to offend anyone or their beliefs, what does everyone think?

They are not kiddie style cards, and he's told her to pick one each day and it will tell her what her day will be like. So far she's picked "the devil" and "lovers"! I for one think she's too young for them and whilst I understand we're all different, I feel like she should only use them under the supervision of her dad who apparently is very much into them. Dd is asking me questions that I can't answer and also got a bit upset at the devil one, understandably.

I'm here because I have no end of trouble with ex anyway, is this worth a barney or not?

Any advice gratefully received!

[00100001]

What's wrong with the occult and paranormal??


The only think that's "wrong" with Tarot cards is adult superstition, and scaremongering.

No one would bat an eyelid if the DD was given a pack of cards.

They're the same thing!

[00100001]

You can put just as much meaning into drawing the 3 of clubs, the 2 of spades and a Jack of Diamonds as you can The Fool, Strength and WHeel of Fortune

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Well, they are not the same thing. A pack of cards for playing whist with is something to pass the time - a pack of tarot cards, with the suggestion that they have some kind of connection with fate and predestination, is a whole lot of stupid, and potentially worrying not because it invokes an 'occult' which doesn't exist, but because it encourages beliefs in systems and connections which the OP might very reasonably not want her daughter to buy into.

[CoteDAzur]

"You can put just as much meaning into drawing the 3 of clubs, the 2 of spades and a Jack of Diamonds as you can The Fool, Strength and WHeel of Fortune"

And you would be just as wrong.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

You can put just as much meaning into drawing the 3 of clubs, the 2 of spades and a Jack of Diamonds as you can The Fool, Strength and WHeel of Fortune

No, you absolutely can't! The 3 of clubs is one higher than the 2, one lower than the 4, not as good as the 3 of whatever is trumps (I'm staying with whist here....). The figures on Tarot cards aren't part of a system that just works as a system for playing a game, they are supposed to indicate some kind of message about you or the day you're going to have - which is arrant nonsense and not something I'd encourage a child to buy into.

[00100001]

The point is, I could make the normal pack of cards mean just the same thing as Tarot.

You can put as much emphasis on the 'bad' - or you can just make them a bit more 'kid friendly'

[00100001]

Well, the 3 of clubs means that I will have three sets of trials in my immediate future. The 2 of spades, means there will be an effort, with the promise of a reward. The Jack of Diamonds indicates that during this effort, and trails, you will come out with a fortune in knowledge.

[00100001]

The three of clubs means that I will have three happy moments in the next month. The 2 of spades, indicates a duality, I will have a choice tow make.
The Jack of Diamonds indicates I will make new friends that will last forever.

[00100001]

I can make those cards mean anything I want.

Same with Tarot.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

But a normal pack of cards is never intended to have any 'meaning', and a tarot pack is. Your suggestion on p1 is, I think, perfectly sensible - just use them as an interesting artefact that you can make up stories about like you might about (I dunno) buttons in the button jar.

But this particular child has been encouraged to see them as having some kind of significance and relationship to 'fate', and that's a bit bollocks and unhealthy.

[CoteDAzur]

"the 3 of clubs means that I will have three sets of trials in my immediate future. The 2 of spades, means there will be an effort, with the promise of a reward. The Jack of Diamonds indicates that during this effort, and trails, you will come out with a fortune in knowledge."

It's weird that you think so.

Why?

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

I'm afraid you've lost me now .... do people do that with normal playing cards?

[Toffeelatteplease]

Actually you are soo wrong.

Playing cards and tarots cards are descended from the same cards. The playing cards we know are the minor arcana from the tarot deck (minus the page ). You can interpret and use a pack of playing cards for divination as you can tarot cards. If you dropped the major arcana you could use the minor for most card games.

It's what association you put with the cards that matters. A little like tarot reading really

[CoteDAzur]

"I can make those cards mean anything I want."

Have you still not noticed that what you want things to mean and what they actually mean are not necessarily the same thing?

You can't "make" stuff mean something if they don't mean that.

Turn of a card has no meaning whatsoever about your future.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Toffee I didn't know that and it's interesting. I'd still say a normal pack of cards doesn't come freighted with those meanings, and that its more common use as a way to play a game is so very much its primary significance that the point stands - but fair point and thank you!

[00100001]

I agree cote this is what I'm saying, The tarot cards have no actual meaning really, they're not a bad thing, so why would people be upset that a child has a pack of picture cards?

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

... he calls the Knave a Jack, this boy....

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

001 because she's been told that the one she picks will determine the kind of day she has - and maybe OP doesn't like that kind of nonsense?

[Toffeelatteplease]

Earliest tarot decks were painted for the Visconti-Sforza family of Milan in fifteenth century. Probably used for playing games.

The occult associations didn't come until late seventeen hundreds and 19th century

See worth knowing the history when you come to discuss them

[CoteDAzur]

"The tarot cards have no actual meaning really, they're not a bad thing, so why would people be upset that a child has a pack of picture cards?"

Because tarot cards are only used for superstition. OP's XH is trying to brainwash her DD. That's why.

A normal deck of cards is normally used for normal games of chance. Not for attempts to divine the future. That's the difference.

[00100001]

seek well, what's the difference between "encouraged to see them as having some kind of significance and relationship to 'fate', and that's a bit bollocks and unhealthy." and any other religion?


People can believe what they want Surely? I fail to see how tarot cards are more "harmful" than organised religion.

[CoteDAzur]

"worth knowing the history when you come to discuss them"

Sorry but history of tarot cards have zero bearing on my understanding that they are tools for brain-free superstition. I couldn't care less if they first came about in 17th Century, or 15th or whatever. It is their use right now, in this day and age, in the hands of OP's DD that we are talking about here.

[00100001]

cote but why is it a problem that this child is being exposed to the idea of fate or divination?

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

All fair enough Toffee but it's a long time since the early c19th, and I think playing cards are widely enough perceived as just that.... whilst this child has been given tarot cards with the intention that she connect them with a sense of what is going to happen to her during the day.

[00100001]

seek same question :)