Cosmic Child Horoscope
April 2005
by ERIC FRANCIS

Aries (March 20-April 19)
Aries kids are doing more growing up this month than most people can imagine, unless of course you happen to be an Aries parent. There may be moments of regression, confusion and outright brilliance, but the overall direction is toward the core of their true being. If they are more willing than usual to stand up to peers and even authority figures, that's about as healthy a sign as you could want. Certain facts of the world have become rather plain to their eyes, and one great thing about young people is that their defenses and denial trips are a lot less evolved. Pay attention: you could learn something useful.


Taurus (April 19-May 20)
Taurus birthdays are nearly here. The four seasons of life now approaching may seem to arrive with a variety of wrinkles or complications. The question is: are they real? Astrology says probably not. The silver lining is that just about everything that develops can be worked out by looking inside. It's easy to teach children that they are, at least in part, responsible for their experiences. So the question of the year is: what part did you play in that? The answer is not for the purposes of blame. It's strictly practical. If they can withdraw their contribution or use the situation to learn something, much else will change.


Gemini (May 20-June 21)
There is a difference between doubt and certainty, but it's rather subtle. Often, or rather, always, children will pick up on the psychological state of their parents and respond accordingly. Just like anyone else, kids make up stories about what they think is going on. This would be a good time to spare your Gemini child from their own misunderstanding about what their parents are going through. You can speak to them about your state of mind in terms they understand and that don't transfer the burden to them. The idea is to do precisely the opposite: to send the message, 'This is my stuff, but I've got a grip'.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)
This may be the most socially active or outgoing time in your child's life. Take the opportunity to help them get established in the world of people outside the family, and to form bonds that have nothing to do with you. Experiencing the value and pleasure of helping others is another project that will provide some excellent long-term results and teach them just how much they have. Kids who come from comfortable families are often well aware that many others don't have their basic needs met, and that this is somehow unfair. It's a great thing to learn how much you have to give.

Leo (July 22-Aug 23)
All Leos know they came here to do great things. But they are only satisfied by solid accomplishments. So based on what specifics you know about your Leo kid, what might that include? Patronizing does not work; Leos can tell gold from fool's gold and they want the real thing. You might start with the question: what do you really want to do? What do you want to be? Then, make arrangements for a visit to whatever they come up with, whether it's a newspaper office, an airport control tower, or a foreign country. Teach your Leo child to take him or herself seriously, and they will teach you how to be a kid.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
Virgos lean toward the mental side of life; in my experience they really do want everything to make sense. The problem comes when states of mind show up wherein nothing makes any sense, or things make a different kind of sense than they were told about before. Keep an eye on this theme, and remember that all the old rules of logic may fall through the floor. Proceed intuitively and look for clues to their state of mind in their physical body -- there's more than a connection; in truth, the two are the same thing. Be assured that they're far more stable than they may feel. Just remember how they feel.


Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)  
The issue of fairness is tops on the agenda. This includes many discussions of right and wrong, and the distinction between truth and lies. This is serious business for a kid, and there's not a second chance to make a first impression where certain matters of social consciousness are concerned. Make sure your example is truly impeccable; account for your own contradictions between words and action, and make sure you seek the opinions of Libra kids on any matter of importance to themselves or the family. Just like you don't learn to ride a bike by reading a book, you don't learn the basic facts of life that way either.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
Encourage your Scorpio child to give a voice to his or her insecurities. That is almost always the best way to deal with them. Most people, particularly emotional types, learn to stuff their feelings and fears early in life. The result is to provide steady work for therapists and divorce attorneys. In many ways, the ground is shifting beneath the feet of both Scorpio adults and children. Fact and fiction must be sorted out where fears are concerned, and a solid basis for going beyond fear can be established now -- if everyone is honest about what they feel. And no matter how challenging this may be at other times, it's likely to be pretty easy now.


Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 22)
We all know that Sagittarians tend to be more psychologically (and physically) daring than the rest of us, because they live with an invisible safety net. That sense of daring or guts is likely to be coming through in their ideas this month, which may be outrageously creative, visionary, and seem well beyond their years. I could also see this same astrology representing a bit of mental anarchy in the chart of anyone allowed to stay out past dark -- so there may be a little sorting out that parents and caregivers have to do with older ones of this sign. Just remember that the best way to get a Sagittarian to do what you want is to show them a good time.


Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
We all have our doubts about ourselves, and occasionally we get over them. Whether we do or not often depends on how we were taught to deal with those doubts in childhood, and for your Capricorn child, that time is now. While their doubts may be running deep, so is their sense of courage, and at the moment you need to be aware of, and work with, the existence of both. It's never too young to learn that you can decide what's important to you, and make the most of your own life. Start by setting the example. Then, make sure that every doubt or fear you hear of is acknowledged, and has an answer in tangible reality.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
The cool, calm logic of Aquarius is getting heavily rearranged at the moment, and it has yet to come back together in one piece. That's another way of saying let things work themselves out in time. It's another way of saying that you might want to keep up with the news of the world as reported by these people who, from the youngest age, often demonstrate that they care about the world more than anyone else. Help them put social visions in to action, even in small ways. There arrives, in one form or another, the clear, happy message that when we do what is right for us, we do what's right for everyone else -- in that order.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
This is an enormous time of experimentation with the question ''why does my life matter?" At least the answer to the question is some form of: it actually does. Pisces bears a strange burden, however, because this is the sign that holds the energy of endings. What all Fish kids need to learn now is that their lives are really just beginning. Keeping this state of mind grants an enormous advantage because it comes with the idea that time is on their side. Keep this in mind. There are hundreds or more ways to get the message across. Any way you say it, or show it, will make a deep impression.