The Ascendant & Your Child’s Role in the Family

Let's face it: As parents we have a tendency to label our kids. I'm sure you've uttered or have heard your friends say something along the lines of, "My daughter Jane is my little fashionista. And my Aaron, he's a nurturer."

Why do we do this? Is it for convenience sake, or is it just the result of the human mind's need to categorize and put things in its place? Regardless of our motivation, I can tell you from an astrological perspective that your child's role in the family is not random. It's determined by her Ascendant (also known as Rising Sign).

The Ascendant is the ruler of the natal chart and basically colors our perception of every day life. It is the mask we wear, the person we show the public until we are comfortable enough with our environment to let down our guard and to have our Sun sign, our true nature, shine through.

But it does play certain significance in childhood. The Ascendant represents the role that your child is encouraged to play in the family. What does this mean? It means that often we as parents, siblings, grandparents and other family members have our own idea about who a child is and how that child should act within a family structure.That is, it says a lot about how our family sees us. In fact, one could even say the Ascendant is the role your family encourages you to play within the family structure.

To get a better grasp of this concept, think about your role in the family growing up. How do you think your family would describe living with you as a child? Were you the carefree jokester of the house? Then chances are you have a Sagittarius Ascendant. Were you the drama queen with oodles of confidence? Then I smell a Leo Ascendant. Or were you the shy, studious child who always got her chores and homework done in an efficient and timely manner? That's the sign of a Virgo Ascendant.

As parents we need to remember there's a difference between how we perceive our kids and who they are destined to become in life (which is determined by your child's Sun Sign.) For example, my younger daughter has an Aquarius Ascendant. She's a natural rebel who could care less about rules and marches to the beat of her own drummer. Well, at least that's her role in my house (Ascendant). But her true nature, her mission in life is to be the benevolent, attention-grabbing queen of her kingdom. However, right now there's already a queen of the kingdom in my family (me, her Leo mommy) and when she gets her own house she can rule the roost. Until then, we'll enjoy her unique outlook on life and her unpredictable, yet entertaining behavior, thanks to her Aquarius Ascendant.

My Ascendant is in Scorpio, and indeed I was an intense and determined kid. My parents always described me to others as strong-willed and focused, and I did my part by living up to their perceptions and expectations. Think about your own kids: Does their Ascendants define their roles in the family? And how about yourself: Was your role in your family defined by your Ascendant?