Optimum*Child
Interview with Author Gloria Star
What research did you do to prepare for writing this report?
Before I began my writing on “developmental astrology,” I had been studying astrology for about 12 years, and have been a full time practitioner for 8 years. During that time, many of my adult clients had expressed an interest in knowing about their children’s charts. This was in the mid-1980s.
While Rob Hand had written an excellent book (Planets in Youth), there was really very little material available on the subject when I began my manuscript. My original intent was to write a handbook for parents and teachers, assuming that they had little or no knowledge of astrology.
I had studied child and adolescent psychology in college, as part of my work toward a B.Ed.. However, my practical application of astrology to the lives of children was part of a personal research study. By inquiring of my clients and friends, I received data for over 500 children. For 362 of those children, I also received a completed questionnaire about the child from the parents and grandparents. In addition, I also had a chance to sit down with another 400-500 clients to talk about their children. My clients have always been uncommonly generous about sharing information with me.
I’ve always kept fairly intensive notes. Beyond what I anticipated that I would see from a child’s chart that I gleaned from combining my knowledge of astrology with my knowledge of child psychology, I kept records of what I considered to be significant correlations between an astrological significator and the expression and experience of the child. In addition, I kept an ongoing list of questions from parents or other adults concerning the child.
Since that time, when I wrote my first book, “Optimum Child,” (Llewellyn, 1987), I’ve continued to talk with parents about their children. I suppose by now I’ve looked at over 5000 children’s charts in one form or another. In year 2000, I revised and expanded the original text – 15 years after my work was done for the original book. This was published as “Astrology & Your Child” (Llewellyn, 2000). The revisions and expanded text arose from questions and requests from parents, students, and others. I also had learned much more by then!
It was this revised material that formed the basis of the “Optimum*Child” report writer from Astrolabe!
What was your intent in developing the report?
My intention was to offer a straightforward astrological report based upon the concept of developmental astrology. This report is tailored for parents, family, teachers or others who want to know more about a child. I believe a child’s astrological chart is the closest thing a parent has to a personal handbook for that child.
When you write each delineation what goal or intent is in your mind?
Since I tend to place the delineations in the context of the life experience that a child and a person guiding that child might encounter, I attempt to translate the planetary placements and aspects within that framework. I think a computer report (and an astrological counseling session) is more effective when I consider the life application first. While understanding the “astrology” is important, it is useless unless it can be translated into a life application!
How do you like to explain difficult aspects?
In the charts of children, difficult aspects are an entirely different animal. Since children are not yet fully developed adults, the difficult aspects indicate a potentially weak link in the personality or needs of the child. I approach the difficult aspects from the perspective that these weak links or sensitive aspects of the personality will require special support from the parents. In addition, I think it is important to avoid assigning “blame” to either parents or child, since difficult aspects do not indicate that someone has done something wrong. Rather, they signify more challenging lessons and extra-sensitive aspects of a child’s still-forming personality. Frequently, these aspects form the core of powerful creativity!
What schools of astrology have contributed most to the Child report?
Since I’ve studied most every “arm” and focus of astrology, I think everything I’ve learned is part of this report to some extent. Early in my study of astrology, I was strongly influenced by Humanistic Astrology concepts, but have always had an interest in human psychology and spirituality. Psychological astrology is definitely a strong factor in this report.
What did you learn about astrology by developing this report?
Primarily, I’ve learned an even greater respect for the period of childhood. I do believe that we carry our childhood with us throughout our lives, and so I also tend to see the “child” in my adult clients! Since the report is a culmination of 25 years work, I suppose it represents a portion of what I know about astrology. I always see my writing as a chance to learn more, and in the instance of working on this report, I have gained a stronger appreciation for the breadth and depth of astrology itself.
It was a good test!
