Using Tarot to Talk Goals With My Teen Son
When your kid turns sixteen, you can feel the shift. Suddenly, it’s not just about curfews and homework — it’s about freedom, responsibility, and the first big taste of independence. For my son Henry, that milestone comes with one very specific dream: a truck.
He’s been talking about it nonstop — what kind he wants, how he’ll fix it up, where he’ll drive. The only problem? We’re a one-vehicle family right now, and a new truck just isn’t in the budget.
But instead of shutting the conversation down, I decided to turn it into something deeper — a chance to help him think about what he really wants and how to get there. And in true Momsville fashion, I pulled out my tarot deck.
A Reading for Direction, Not Prediction
I told Henry I wanted to do a three-card reading — not to “predict the future,” but to get him thinking about what energy and actions might help him reach his goal. Tarot, for me, isn’t about fortune-telling; it’s about reflection. Sometimes the cards give you a mirror instead of a map.
Here’s what came up for him:
- Reversed Seven of Swords
- King of Cups
- Reversed Knight of Wands
What the Cards Had to Say
The Reversed Seven of Swords felt like a call for honesty and accountability — not with others, but with himself. It’s the “no shortcuts” card. If he wants that truck, he’s got to earn it. No sneaky routes, no hoping it just falls into his lap.
The King of Cups came next, and it was such a beautiful card to land in the middle. This is emotional maturity, balance, and wisdom — the kind of energy that says, “Think before you act, and lead with patience.” It’s not the energy of impulsive teenage decisions, but of a young man learning how to handle responsibility.
And finally, the Reversed Knight of Wands — the classic symbol of go, go, go energy slowed down or misdirected. It reminded us both that enthusiasm is great, but without focus and follow-through, it burns out fast. If he wants this truck, he can’t just talk about it — he has to plan for it.
Turning a Reading into a Real-World Goal
After the reading, we talked about practical next steps. I told him if he can save for a down payment, we’d see about helping him get a small loan in his name — something he can pay off with his own job and money.
He might even have an opportunity to earn extra cash in November when he visits his dad on the Oregon Coast. Suddenly, what started as a dreamy “someday” conversation became a plan.
Tarot didn’t magically hand him a truck. But it gave us a way to talk about effort, patience, and self-awareness — all things that will take him a lot farther than any set of keys ever could.
Why I Love Using Tarot as a Parenting Tool
Teenagers are tricky. They don’t always open up when you want them to, but they’re always searching for meaning — in themselves, their choices, their futures. Tarot gives us a shared language to explore those things without judgment.
For us, this reading wasn’t about mysticism; it was about mindfulness. It was about saying:
“What do you really want? And what kind of person do you have to become to get it?”
Henry may not have his truck yet, but he’s got a new sense of direction — and that’s a pretty powerful place to start.
The Tarot of the Woodland Wardens elegantly captures the magic of flora and fauna through the major and minor arcana. Each card is inspired by the classic Rider-Waite-Smith imagery, with the human figures replaced by woodland creatures who share their innate wisdom and spiritual guidance.
