Never too young (or too old) to learn the tarot
I have been working with and creating tarot decks for over 15 years. In some ways I wish I had been exposed to the art at a much earlier age but at the same time, I am so glad they came to me at a time when I needed them the most (a story for another blog). And though tarot has become a fixture in my life, my environment and my daily repertoire in and out of my studio, most of what I do is largely taken for granted by my children. That’s not to say they don’t care and aren’t fascinated with mommy’s unconventional profession, but to them it is simply who I am: mommy as a writer, artist and tarot enthusiast.
Despite having a conspicuous display of my growing tarot collection including my own creations, my children never showed much interest in tarot. That is until The Fairy Tale Tarot arrived in the mail. I was really surprised by what followed: a sudden interest in tarot and a desire for me to explain everything that I know about the cards. Well, when I talk about tarot, it tugs at the heart of passion — I mean, these cards have formed me and represent so much of my personal and professional growth; though I am well aware that my journey is still within the Fool’s realm with the ever-ignited Ace of Wands in hand.
As a side note, Ace of Wands has been coming up a lot during my readings coinciding with a burst of creative activity circulating around my house at present.
So in addition to pulling cards every morning for my husband and I (yup, the ol’ a card a day…) I have been helping the kids read and study The Fairy Tale Tarot. My 9 year old son, who has always had “attention issues” seems to have no trouble focusing on the cards and gleaning information from the pictures. He’s quite adept at identifying the illustration with the accompanying tales. As for my spunky, extroverted 5 year old daughter, she has actually started reading them for us, the 3 card spread being her method of choice. And though she does not know all the nuances of the stories yet, I’m surprised at how intuitive she is with expanding on the visuals within the context of a given question. She’s a natural! And now she wants to create her own deck — a creative endeavor I will not discourage.
This is what I’ve learned: one is never too young or too old to learn the tarot. My daughter is 5 and I was 25 when I started. If you’re so inclined, pick up the cards and let yourself get acquainted. For my family, it really helps to expand the channels of communication–sometimes as conversational initiator, and other times as a way to pause and reflect on those things that need our attention or need to be reaffirmed.
The Fairy Tale Tarot has proven to be a hit with my entire family. It’s forging a new collective bond as we move through our days with tarot cards in hand.
Oh, and Timmy, aka Studio Buddy, says “Hi!” He too gravitates to creative spaces. He is proof that cats do indeed smile. 
Best wishes,
~Lisa
Wow how great that you have something for your whole family to participate in. I bet they are so excited to be doing what mommy does.
I really enjoyed this post. My children never seemed to have any interest either in my work. They just thought mommy was “weird” and seemed to be embarrassed when they were young. Now that they are both grown adults, they are very interested and ask questions. It doesn’t appear as if either one of them are interested in doing it however – only having me do it for them! LOL
Love your kitty, by the way. He looks just like my cat, TaoZen.
Much love,
Theresa
Always great to see Timmy. =)
Love the card, is that a squirrel in the background.
All your cards have such a magical feel to them.
I love this post, and it’s so true! Tarot speaks to our deepest self through the symbolism and imagery, kids are so wide open, I think tarot speaks to them in a very pure way. Your daughter is so beautiful, (looks like mommy!) and she’s having so much fun! I love that she’s making her own too. Mine copy of Fairy Tale Tarot has shipped, can’t wait to get it!
Hi!
I love your work. I am not a tarot fan (or nonfan), but I have a fairy tale blog named Diamondsandtoads.com. Also, I am starting an online magazine about fairy tales called EnchantedConversation.net. Have you done any “Sleeping Beauty” art? Please visit the site for contact info.
Your art is lovely!!
Joanna, I hope to be the cool grandmother that you are someday. Gracie is a lucky girl!
Liani, I’m thinking about ordering a few tarot decks for my kids as prizes for good grades, now that they’ve demonstrated enthusiasm for the art. It is a wonderful way to expose them to myths and legends of all kinds in a format that is accessible and utilitarian. Not to say we aren’t book-loving folk, but this would be a nice addition to their ever growing thirst for fantastical narrative and visuals.
Hearthcricket:
Kyra is a natural with the cards. Connor is more the querent type. Both kids want me to read the cards and accompanying stories every night.
The display of tarot/oracles in that photo is only a portion of my collection. All of my tarot books and additional decks are in my studio–ready for my inquisitive hands.
Fabulous post and photos of your daughter doing a reading! Her expressions show how excited and thoughtful she is while musing on the cards. She is a natural reader, I think! Timmy looks entirely relaxed and I love your tarot display. I am sitting sideways trying to see which deck is what!
What a heartwarming post. Myths, legends and fairytales are taught in elementary schools all over the world, of course. I’ve often thought that tarot cards would be a great teaching tool to ignite the imagination of the kids. If we give people a bit more time to get over the remnants of ‘tarot stigma’ from the Dark Ages, I think your deck will be THE deck to do it!
Cheers,
Liani
http://www.lianitarot.blogspot.com
A quirky blog with a spiritual bent for those who love tarot.
Thanks so much, ladies. Reading your responses, it occurs to me that children really have a lot to teach us about tarot–to keep an open, unhindered mind when looking at the images. I always thought that adhering too much to presets can actually stop the flow of the reading. Watching Kyra’s intuitive expressions (or reading about Melanie’s grandaughters’ enchanting narratives) is a reminder that one can yield some amazing, interesting results by just letting go and allowing the cards to reveal inner truths.
Great post, Lisa! And I totally agree! My sons don’t have much interest in the cards, but every now and then, when I’m playing with a new (or old) deck, they’ll sit down with me and look at the cards. I’ve always encouraged them to look at the pictures and to glean their own meanings, and they are both very adept at this. I know both of them are quite intuitive, and encouraging them to get in touch with this profound inner voice is an exercise I relish.
And Kip, our dog, says hi to Timmy–he’s very into cats right now. LOL!
Lovely post, Lisa. The power of fairy tales!! I love hearing how your new deck has inspired and ignited your children. My granddaughter Gracie is only 18 months old, but I look forward to playing with the cards with her.
It’s nice when your children can see beyond ‘this is just what mom does’ (I apparently have the least glamorous job ever, according to my kids….) Your deck looks wonderfully accessible.
I loved reading this
my granddaughters tell some amazing stories from their tarot cards – it’s really quite incredible that they manage to see so much! They must be young enough to allow their intuitive side to let go