Life

Kwangmoo/Fotolia
Your Biggest Challenge As A New Mom, According To Your Zodiac Sign

by Dina Leygerman

My grandmother studied astrology and loved learning everything about the Zodiac. She religiously read the weekly horoscope and believed her future was hidden within those few sentences. As a result, I started dabbling, too. I enjoyed reading about my Zodiac sign and nodding my head when everything I read was accurate. But, honestly, I lost interest after my grandmother died. Plus, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about myself. But now that I'm a mom to two stubborn Aries, I realize moms face certain challenges specific to their Zodiac sign. No, really. This is a thing.

I was born on the cusp of two signs, so I'm part Leo and part Virgo. I consider myself more Leo-like, but I definitely possess some of Virgo's characteristics. I am painfully aware of my strengths, as well as my hamartia. I know I can be conceited and need to be the center of attention. I realize I am a natural born leader and a mama-lion. I am also sensitive and don't respond well to criticism. This is my personality, and I'm well aware that I need to take the good with the bad. And I'm still trying to navigate parenting my two children, despite the fact that apparently Leos make the worst moms. Whatever, I'm totally the best mom to the two children I know I was mean to parent. I'm the mom who'll lead her kids to greatness (and will have to be OK with not getting any attention for it).

Whether you believe in astrology or think it's all a bunch of silly little anecdotes, there's something to be said for how on-point many of these personality descriptions are. All of my friends, whether they dabble in Astrology or not, will swear up and down that their sign describes them perfectly. So regardless, it's fun to read into it all, even if it just to take your mind of the mundane.

The challenges below are clearly for fun only, and totally do not speak for all moms who fall under these signs. Also, it doesn't hurt to see what challenges you may face and, as a result, self-reflect a bit. Who knows, maybe you'll read this and be all like, "OMG, this is so me," or I'll be wildly off-base and you'll end up hating me a little bit. Either way, enjoy!

Capricorn (Dec 22 — Jan 19): Pessimism

Since Capricorns tend to be a slightly insecure, they may feel the need to self-criticize and see the worst of a potential situation. With kids, however, being a pessimist can make parenting really difficult. If you see the worst side of everything when you have children, you may not be able to actually experience the more enjoyable parts of parenting because you are so focused on the negative. So, relax, Capricorn mama, all is not so terrible.

Aquarius (Jan 20 — Feb 18): Detachment

Kids need parents to be present, both physically and mentally. Aquarius is an Air sign and, as a result, Aquarius moms tend to be dreamers with active imaginations. While this type of imagination can be incredible when raising children, it could also seem like the parent is detached and aloof. Aquarius moms make grandiose plans that often go unaccomplished, which could lead to disappointment. So, when you dream, Aquarius mama, make sure to create concrete steps to achieve those dreams.

Pisces (Feb 19 — March 20): Timidness

Unfortunately, Pisces moms can have a bit of an issue with their self-esteem, which can impact parts of their parenting. They don't like confrontations and are the most timid sign in the Zodiac. They may have trouble standing up to and for their children. Their parenting may be too lax and their children may take advantage of the fact that their moms don't confront them and set boundaries. While Pisces moms tend to go with the flow, their diffident demeanor can cause issues when it comes to disciplining their children.

Aries (March 21 — April 19): Stubbornness

Oh, Aries. Aries is one of the most stubborn signs in the Zodiac. My children are the stereotypical bullheaded Aries and I can only imagine how stubborn Aries mamas are. While not backing down can definitely be a good thing, sometimes it's beneficial so accept defeat and move on.

Taurus (April 20 — May 20): Inflexibility

Taurus moms have difficulty welcoming change, and a baby is a huge change. And not only does a child alter your pre-parent life, but babies change their temperament every other day (or so it seems). With the ever-changing mood of a baby, an inflexible Taurus can become easily frustrated and overly anxious. It's important to understand that children are constantly in flux and, as a parent, you need to be able to adapt to each stage.

Gemini (May 21 — June 20): Inconsistency

Gemini is a sign of duality, so it's no wonder Gemini moms can be inconsistent and unpredictable. Inconsistency can be a parental downfall, especially when it comes time to discipline and maintain your temperament. It's difficult for children to grow up in an unstable environment, so Gemini moms have to be especially cognizant of their varied moods and actions.

Cancer (June 21 — July 22): Sensitivity

My mother is a Cancer, and she is by far one of the most sensitive people I know. I love my mother deeply, and she is one of my best friends and we have a great relationship, but sometimes it's difficult to navigate life when so many things I do upset her. I often felt guilty for upsetting my mom with something I thought was benign, so the fact that Cancers are super sensitive is something I totally believe in.

Leo (July 23 — Aug 22): Arrogance

Leos are natural born leaders who love the spotlight, but are also arrogant and prideful. I would know: I'm a Leo. It's difficult for Leo moms to accept criticism about their parenting, or anything else, for that matter. However, letting your pride get in the way of doing something for the wellbeing of your children is probably not the best way to parent. So trust me when I say I'm trying my best, you guys.

Virgo (Aug 23 — Sept 22): Control

Virgo parents want to control every part of their kids' lives. They have very strong beliefs and opinions and expect their children to follow strict rules. They also want to be overly-involved in the lives of their children so they can make sure to have total control over their actions. This may or may not be me, in addition to that arrogance thing above.

Libra (Sept 23 — Oct 22): Grudges

Libras will carry a grudge for longer than anyone arguably should. Today my child told me I have a big body and, if I were a Libra, I probably wouldn't talk to him for about a month. I kid, of course, but holding grudges can make parenting slightly more difficult.

Scorpio (Oct 23 — Nov 21): Argumentative

Scorpios love to argue because they enjoy a good debate. They are confident, but also slightly obsessive about proving their point. This can sometimes make parenting difficult, due to the constant power struggles us mothers and fathers often get into with our kids. While it's good to teach kids to stand up for their beliefs, sometimes it's just as good to teach them to be quiet, listen, and learn someone else's point of view.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 — Dec 21): Bluntness

The Sagittarius mama knows it all and she is more than willing to tell you everything she knows and, as a result, everything you're doing wrong. Sagittarius moms are super confident in their abilities and super blunt about their beliefs. The possible problem with such honestly, however, is that sometimes children aren't quite ready for such harsh truths.

Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherlode, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.