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!

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

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

because it's bollocks? And, more importantly, because a six year old shouldn't invest a card with the ability to predict her day; she should be developing her awareness about how her own actions and choices will be doing that, if anything.

[00100001]

"because its bollocks"


Jesus is bollocks.

[00100001]

Gamesha is bollocks

[00100001]

Ganesha*

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

If OP was an atheist and the daughter came home saying 'Daddy says Jesus is watching me all the time and I must be good or I will go to hell', or making pronouncements about abortion, contraception, sin, whatever, I think OP would also have a right to be concerned.

[Toffeelatteplease]

I think they are less frightening when you get to know them. They are really just architypes from life.

There is an argument for saying just as Christians talk about opening the bible at a page and always finding something on that page that is applicable and relevant to their life the same is true of tarot cards.

More scary is why people want to "know" the future", the dangers of knowing the future and how to be happy on the here and now.

To be honest I'd hit an all round approach with this. I'd be watching things like Back to the Future and reading "How to life forever" by Colin Thompson (fantastic picture book)

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Well, I happen to agree on that, 001, and as I say above - it would be a potentially difficult and awkward situation if it was indeed a religion that this child was being pushed toward.

[00100001]

There is no difference between a child learning about Tarot and it's perceived influence and learning about any othe belief system

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Indeed not. But this child isn't 'learning about Tarot' as she will learn about Islam at school, is she?

[00100001]

I just fail to see how this has to be such a big issue.

Dad believes in it and wants his DD to have pack of cards and learn from it. It's not like he's teaching the child to poke puppies with rusty nails.

[00100001]

Why is she not learning about the tarot cards?

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

he's told her to pick one each day and it will tell her what her day will be like

That's not 'learning about' them, that's being told they work!

It's the difference between 'so, DD, this book is called the Bible and some people believe in what's written in it', and 'DD, Jesus is watching you and judging you all the time'.

[Toffeelatteplease]

Because I believe you can teach your children respect for other people and still have them work out their own belief system.

Personally I don't find Jesus is bollocks overly respectful. Which would be for me a bigger issue than believing in bollocks

[CoteDAzur]

"Dad believes in it and wants his DD to have pack of cards and learn from it. It's not like he's teaching the child to poke puppies with rusty nails."

You don't learn from a pack of cards. You learn rubbish superstition from a person, her dad in this case.

And would you be happy for your DC to be taught any old nonsense as long as it's not animal cruelty?

[Toffeelatteplease]

Of he wanted to do that in his house. That would be fine. Imposing it on the OP is wrong.

The bigger problem is about appropriate boundaries. So for me I would be shifting the issue away for the tarot cards and downgrading their importance

[00100001]

You learn rubbish superstition from all places in life. I wouldn't get upset if my kids were learning/being taught about tarot cards, jesus, vishnu, wicca, healing crystals or anything like that.

Who is to say what is nonsense? Is a belief in the prophecy of tarot, any more nonsense than a belief in Vishnu?

IMO, as long as the DD isn't being taught to be horrible to other people and not having too much emphasis on what the cards 'mean' then I really see no harm in this pack of cards. Mum can 'intervene' and say this is only what some people believe.

[BertrandRussell]

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

Because it's bollocks and the child is 6. And will, as 6 year olds do, believe what her dad tells her.

[CoteDAzur]

"Who is to say what is nonsense? Is a belief in the prophecy of tarot, any more nonsense than a belief in Vishnu? "

I can. They are all nonsense.

Belief in God at least cannot be disproved, so arguably slightly less nonsensical than tarot twattery.

[00100001]

bertrand so is there nay problem with 6 year old being exposed to vegetarianism... home schooling... jesus...? To me, it's all a belief of the parent thinking they are doing what is best for their child.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Belief in God, might, at a push, also combine with a belief in the importance of one's own moral responsibilities, and a sense of one's own agency in life. Telling a six year old that fate is laid out and then drawn in a picture on a card encourages a fatalistic sense that it's all 'in the stars' or whatever, and is therefore slightly more bollocks and of no value.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

I think most parents think they are doing what's best for their child. The problem is of course that sometimes they are wrong!

[Imnotagilmoregirl]

Blimey I have opened a can of worms!

Thanks all for the pov, I have handed the cards back to ex-h explaining that I think she's a little too young to have them to herself without any guidance. I've suggested they talk about them and some of the meanings at his house as I don't want to trample on his beliefs, but they don't feel to me to be something used "willy nilly".

Ex actually agreed that they might've been a little too much (dd is a natural over thinker/worrier and very sensitive).

In the meantime I'm going to get a bit of info, it's not something I'm particularly interested in, but knowledge is power I guess...

The way ex didn't even question my opinion or argue his point have left me wondering whether it was a little bit of a nudge to see if I'd bite, but maybe not.

Thanks guys! X

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Sounds like you handled it really well - glad it got sorted!

[BertrandRussell]

"bertrand so is there nay problem with 6 year old being exposed to vegetarianism... home schooling... jesus...? To me, it's all a belief of the parent thinking they are doing what is best for their child."

Vegetarianism and home schooling are part of May people's lifestyles, they aren't "beliefs". Jesus? Well, he's an unavoidable part of mainstream life in this country so some knowledge is essential. Tarot is provably bollocks.

[lottielou7]

You may not believe in the occult but you can't prove it either way and I wouldn't risk my child for anything. Not to mention that it's pressing his views on her anyway.