Momscopes: The Taurus Mom

April 20-May 20

Mommy Magic: Your Strengths & Gifts

Stability

Children fundamentally need routine, which happens to be a specialty for rock-steady Taurus. Being a creature of habit, you have no problem setting certain basic guidelines like bedtimes, mealtimes, and naps. While you may not always be the most expressive or flexible person, you’re the mother who shows up. School concerts, plays, soccer games—whatever the occasion, you can be counted on to attend and root for your clan. Your steady presence gives your kids an important sense of security, which helps them feel confident in the world. “My Taurus mom doesn’t always get me,” says a friend, “but in spite of my criticisms, I can say 100 percent that she was always there.” Mama, that counts for a lot.

Good Taste & Good Sense

Sample sale, anyone? Taurus is ruled by sensual Venus, but you’re also a practical earth sign. You know how to find the best of everything for a bargain—and you’re quite the savvy consumer. You know just what to buy at Costco, and exactly what has to come from your favorite gourmet shop, local organic butcher, chocolatier, or wine guy (with whom you’re on a first-name basis, natch). You’ll take great pride in telling your brunch guests, for example, that the champagne in their blood orange mimosas came from Sam’s Club, itemizing just how much you saved. Taurus is nobody’s sucker. Common sense is your forte, and you can be incredibly grounded, passing along simple but timeless values to your brood. One way you protect your family is by teaching them to make smart use of their resources: time, money and energy. “Waste not, want not” is your mantra.

Mama Mia! Your Challenges & Issues

Materialism

In spite of your sensible side, you can also be a sucker for pretty things, especially if they boost your social status. Taurus moms can get tangled in keeping up with the Joneses, giving your kids the wrong message as you drop them off in “mommy’s Lexus” or (true story) start Christmas shopping in July. Like Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa Giudice, a Taurus, you could flaunt your flash to your family’s detriment, fiddling while Rome (and your credit rating) burns. Does your child need to be dressed head-to-toe from Barney’s Warehouse just because he goes to private school? Do you need to fly Kanye West in by private jet to perform at your daughter’s Sweet Sixteen? Sure, you want your kids to fit in, or to have their fantasies fulfilled, but in your desire to give them the world, you could forget to teach them how to pay their dues. Share your good taste in music, art, food, etc.—just don’t hand it to them on a silver platter. You want to breed solid citizens, not spoiled brats!

Rigidness

The mama bull is known for her stubbornness, and at times, this “old school” approach can create a rift with your kids. While you want to pass along your morals and values, remember that your children are still individuals who will eventually form their own beliefs. Of course, you must offer guidance and set an example. But if you get into a “my way or the highway” showdown (especially with teenagers), your tendency is to dig in your heels instead of trying to understand your child’s point of view. Maybe you believe in tough love, or fear being a pushover if you don’t put your foot down. The Taurus mom must learn to pick your battles. Otherwise, you could lose the “war” and end up with kids who are distant and distrustful, and who feel you don’t listen to them. The antidote? Recognize that much of your rigidness stems from a resistance to change. Tauruses don’t shift their habits, opinions and beliefs lightly. As a parent, you’ll need to consciously work on developing greater tolerance and flexibility. After all, your kids weren’t born to be molded into “chips off the old block.” They’re here as your soul teachers, mirroring parts of yourself that are meant to grow and evolve.

Famous Taurus Mamas: Tori Spelling, Jessica Alba, Tina Fey, Sherri Shepherd, Kim Zolciak, Cher, Teresa Giudice, Lily Allen, Penelope Cruz, Uma Thurman, Kimora Lee Simmons, Elizabeth Rohm, Cate Blanchett

Next up: Children’s Horoscopes—What’s Your Child’s Sign? >