Hailee Steinfeld: Best Supporting Actress Nominee

14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld garnered an Academy Award nomination for her role in True Grit. She played the role of Mattie Ross, a young girl who tries to track down her father's murderer and bring him to justice. Her character is smart, motivated, powerful, and very mature for her age.

Not unlike Hailee herself!

Hailee came to acting with great determination. She made an agreement with her mother to "study for one full year" before allowing her to take further steps toward an acting career, an agreement she stuck to (and boy, did it pay off!)

Her steady commitment comes as no surprise to Mlle. Kiddie. If Hailee were born in the wee hours of the morning, she may have a Sagittarius Moon, but in all likelihood, her moon is in the sign of Capricorn. She has the heart (moon) of the same stuff her on-screen character: maturity and determination. Capricorn wants to set its sights on a goal and then drive steadily toward it until it's achieved. Her Kiddiegram reveals just how true this is:

Hailee is an industrious, rather serious, practical little person, not the light, frivolous, happy-go-lucky type. To feel secure, she needs structure and a clearly defined set of rules and boundaries. Conscientious and mature even in youth, Hailee can be relied upon to keep her commitments. Sometimes her "obligations" weigh heavily upon her, however, and life seems like serious business indeed, so try not to expect too much or burden her with more responsibility than is really necessary.

Truly though, even without the Capricorn Moon, Hailee would have drive and determination in her very soul, as she was born with it. With her south node in the sign of Aries, and Saturn right on top of it, she will probably have a thing or two to learn about actually not pushing so hard or expecting so much of herself as she grows up. Aries is the sign of initiative and primal force; it leaps into life at full speed. Saturn's handling those reins, though, so her urge to race ahead is tempered by maturity, the realization of the need to plan, and to take the time to develop skill and expertise.

Elsewhere in her chart, her Sagittarius Sun will have her optimistically shooting for the stars (pardon the pun) and with Jupiter in Capricorn in a conjunction with Neptune, the emphasis on a practical, steady (Capricorn) but lofty rise (Jupiter) toward her dreams (Neptune) will ensure this Academy Award nomination will be only the first of many achievements to be proud of.

Parenting with Astrology: Issues with Authority

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 5 of those years. She has joyfully accepted Mlle. Kiddie’s gracious offer to share her thoughts once a month here at Kiddie Star Signs. To find out more about Amy and her personal readings for parents and children, visit her website at http://heavenlytruth.com.

Money and fame don’t solve every problem. Celebrity moms have their hopes and worries for their children too. However, Mlle. Kiddie would like to offer ‘everyday’ moms a chance to see astrology put into action to answer their parenting questions. After all, famous or not, you’re the world to your kids! If you’ve got a question about your child that you’d like Amy to answer, send your questions any time to amy@heavenlytruth.com.

A Seattle mom writes:

We want to understand how to place boundaries without stifling the main needs and purpose our daughter, Wendy. She seems to have huge authority issues and trying to get her to follow the rules, which she breaks every couple of days, has become a tiresome ordeal for all of us. How can we best parent her so that she doesn't feel like authority is dimming her light?

Amy answers:

Wendy's south node is in Aquarius, right next to Uranus, which are strong indicators in her chart that indicate she came into life with rebel energy. Such a wealth of Aquarius, including her Ascendant, corresponds to a strong need for freedom and the right to express herself in whatever way she sees fit.

Her Sun and Moon in Scorpio can represent a spectrum of traits and lessons, but in light of this question, getting a sense of her own power is going to be a prominent one. The sentiment "with great power comes great responsibility" is going to be a key factor for her learning how to manage (I get the image of her trying to ride a bucking horse inside herself). With that Sun and Moon in the opposite place as Saturn (a planet that represents our relationship to authority & rules), she will often more easily experience authority as something that is outside her or 'opposed' her.

A key to the solution might be found in her Mars in Capricorn. Mars is our will and our ability to go after what we want, to assert that will. Capricorn is a sign of responsibility and self-government, something that healthy Saturn also represents. In her chart, Saturn is in a trine with Mars in Capricorn. Capricorn tends to respond well to goals and aims; having something to shoot for or work for gives them focus and motivation. Perhaps giving her as much freedom as she can have by letting the little things go as often as possible, while also setting up rules in a manner that allows for her participation rather than her obedience can help shift her perspective from that knee-jerk stance of opposition. She will not respond well to 'micro-management', so giving her freedom within the rules to do them in her own style or perhaps in her own time, again as much as possible, may help.

In essence, she will be learning over her life to be her own authority, rather than creating a polarity of the outside world and all it's cruel rules vs. her inner world of freedom without consequences. She's learning it's not about fighting oppression but learning that you can decide what you want to create but only if you are willing to work by being in charge of yourself and acting accordingly.

However, that doesn't mean free reign to ignore things that affect the entire family. Capricorn tends to respond well to natural law and consequences: if you do this, you get this outcome. If you don't, you get this outcome, so while this works well for almost any child, I would say that making her consequences of breaking rules or failing to follow through on tasks as natural as possible will have more impact, instead of an arbitrary punishment such as taking away television privileges, for example. The more she can see that when she does or doesn't do something, she does or doesn't get the outcome she likes, and you won't change that or fix it for her, the more chance it has of having an impact on her. Finding ways to allow her consequences to directly cause her a problem can create that inner motivation to fix it if she doesn't want that consequence.

Making peace with the fact that you will not be able to control her choices, even if she makes bad ones and brings on negative consequences for herself may also be part of your personal process as parents. Look at ways you are or are not willing to allow her to bring on the consequences of her own choices that you wouldn't want for her. You'll also need to think about how to defend your boundaries in the right way so that you are a nurturing influence for her and not neglectful, but also don't take her consequences on as your problem to fix.

Beyond her basic personality, there are some triggers she is currently experiencing which are probably making this issue feel like it's getting out of hand or coming to a head. Transiting Saturn now moving through the sign of Libra has been forming a tense relationship to her own Mars, probably sparking that sense of my will vs. authority's will, and maybe prompting a stoic refusal to yield. Yet it can be a ripe time to teach her about natural consequences of that refusal that have nothing to do with your enforcement, but simply reality.

The most striking influence lately is that her progressed moon has just moved into Aries in the past 3 weeks or so. The progressed moon reveals where one's emotional responses, needs, and attention are aimed. Moving from Pisces, which tends to carry a more submissive and gentle tone, to Aries, which is a more feisty and impulsive energy, is going to have her testing limits and pushing boundaries left and right. When this energy first changes, it tends to be quite strong (and new), so she's probably experiencing quicker reactions (including anger) and wanting to take more of the lead in her own life. The progressed moon is so powerful, I wrote a whole book about it: Astrology of the Moon.


Would you like some input on how to understand and nurture your child in the most effective way for their unique needs? Amy offers readings for parents and children; find out more at her website.

Surprise New Baby for Keith & Nicole: Faith Margaret

It certainly wasn't a surprise to the parents-to-be, but the rest of the world certainly dropped its collective jaw upon hearing the news that Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman welcomed a new baby girl in Nashville via gestational carrier on December 28th. Sunday's a big sister!

Not only does Faith have a strong Capricorn Sun, but she also has Pluto in a conjunction with her Sun and Mars also in Capricorn not too far away. Her moon, in Libra, is in a conjunction with Saturn, which lends another Capricornian flavor since Saturn 'rules' Capricorn.

Kids with a lot of Capricorn energy tend to seem on the serious side and sometimes can seem like little grown-ups. While some children want to run free and wild, Faith will probably feel comfortable with being given responsibilities and clear rules.

Mademoiselle Kiddie does not know Faith's birth time, so it is impossible to determine Faith's Ascendant, but whether it's in fun-loving Sagittarius, open-hearted Pisces, or go-get-em Aries, Faith is likely to approach life with caution, especially when it comes to trust other people. It may take her a while to warm up to new people and new situations.

More from her Kiddiegram:

Faith Margaret tends to emulate the adults in her life, and to respect their capabilities, wisdom, and authority. She likes the security of having a clearly defined set of rules and boundaries, and she does not eagerly embrace new ways or new people. It takes time for her to warm up or be willing to trust someone. She needs to watch quietly for awhile. She may need to be encouraged to take risks and to express herself freely. Try to convey to her that it is all right to make mistakes and to be a little foolish sometimes!

Want to find out what makes your little one tick? Order your Kiddiegram online and find out right now!

Valentina Keeps It Real

At the wise and worldly age of 2-1/2, Valentina Pinault does not believe in Santa Claus.

Mom Salma says,

"No matter what I say to her, she just doesn't buy it, and she's 2 1/2. I refuse to give it up. I say, 'There is a Santa Claus,' and she says, 'Okay, Mommy. In pretend world, right?' She really doesn't believe. There's nothing I can say to make her believe in Santa Claus."

It may surprise mom, but it's no surprise to Mlle. Kiddie! This kiddo was born with such a level head, she's going to be schooling her mom on the ways of the world before long.

Her south node, Sun, and Saturn all lie in the sign of Virgo, which is a no-nonsense, "just the facts, ma'am" kind of sign. She notices and pays attention to the details and tries to determine how likely something is based on those facts. On top of all of that, her moon lies in the sign of Capricorn, also an earthy, no-nonsense sign. She feels more comfortable (moon) in the realm of the practical and sensible, finding a sturdiness and reliability in it that nurtures her.


The thing that tips the scales entirely, though, is Saturn in Virgo, right next to her south node. The planet Saturn deals with all things in the realm of the real: the yes and no's, is or isn'ts of the world. With Saturn guiding us, we mature by learning how to create and make things real and the limits of what we can and can't do. Valentina was born an inherent sense of the natural laws in life. She's less likely than most kids to believe that a bearded man flies through the air and delivers toys to the entire world in one night.

Her north node lies in Pisces, which is about embracing the fantastical, the mysteries of life, and the imagination. Over time, she'll learn how she can still keep her feet on the ground but dream with the best of them. Mlle. Kiddie encourages mom Salma to keep trying to show Valentina the whimsical side of life, but perhaps with fewer lies, however well-intended. Valentina can smell those a mile away!

photo courtesy of Fotofama

Parenting with Astrology: Managing Learning Issues

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 5 of those years. She has joyfully accepted Mlle. Kiddie’s gracious offer to share her thoughts once a month here at Kiddie Star Signs. To find out more about Amy and her personal readings for parents and children, visit her website at http://heavenlytruth.com.

Money and fame don’t solve every problem. Celebrity moms have their hopes and worries for their children too. However, I’d like to offer ‘everyday’ moms a chance to see astrology put into action to answer their parenting questions. After all, famous or not, you’re the world to your kids! If you’ve got a question about your child that you’d like Amy to answer, send your questions to amy@heavenlytruth.com.

Jenna writes:

My 8-year-old son is a very unique child. I say this with some experience as he is the 5th of five others. He has poor social skills and is a late reader. He does seem to struggle in school, yet his imagination is vivid. He often states, "I'm going to make an amazing invention when I grow up." Any insights you can provide will be much appreciated.

With questions regarding learning and communication, we typically begin with Mercury, the planet of the mind, learning, and communication and in this case, Mercury is conjunct his Sun in Sagittarius. Sagittarius is the sign of the philosopher and part of that is because Sagittarius takes what it knows and has experienced and puts it together. It's opposite sign, Gemini, disseminates information, takes it apart and looks at all the pieces, but Sagittarius is about pattern recognition and seeing things holistically. It connects the dots, not typically in an A to B to C fashion, but in bigger and simultaneous leaps. 

It's doubtful that there's going to be any issue with his intelligence. The struggle he may have is going to be more along the lines of getting everything he's absorbing in some kind of order. In grade school, we're learning the ABCs--literally of course, but also in terms of method. We crawl before we walk. We learn the alphabet before we read. We need to understand each dot before we connect them, but it's quite possible that he's almost too impatient to do that easily. So some of the challenge may be getting him to slow down, not just in attitude about learning, but in the way his mind works and processes information. He may just need some specific tools in order to help him do that, whether it's an issue of extra tutoring or learning exercises and tools that fit certain learning disabilities. It's important that I be clear: he may not necessarily have a learning disability - that's not what I specifically see in the chart; you'll want to have him evaluated if you think he has enough struggle to determine that. All I am doing is taking your cues in already knowing there may be an issue and looking at the way he learns and what that issue might be.

He also has Saturn in Gemini. While there are many positive aspects of Saturn, it can often represent some aspect of our lives that is difficult. It is through continued effort, discipline, and practice that we are able to acquire the skills we need to succeed wherever Saturn lies. Saturn is Time itself--nothing happens quickly where Saturn is concerned. I mentioned a little of what Gemini represents above - learning to take ideas apart and see the facts, the building blocks, the components of how something works. Saturn in Gemini and also retrograde, simply means that it will take more effort for him than for some to master Gemini: learning, communication, and the ability to manipulate information and data. This is fully within his ability but it will not come quickly, another reason why giving him tools to help the process as I mentioned in the above paragraph will help him get a leg up. Saturn likes tools!

I think he's right about making that amazing invention. Mars is in an exceptionally tight conjunction with Uranus, so his motivation, passion, and will (Mars) is irrevocably tied to his desire to pursue his individuality and investigate the unusual (Uranus). Uranus is the planet of invention because it is everything opposite of convention so it thinks outside of the norm.

Thanks for your question!

Astrological Milestones: Saturn and Growing Up

copyright Bill Watterson

In astrology, Saturn is the planet that represents our progression toward maturity, responsibility, and self-sufficiency. Yes, Calvin, it is the planet of building character. It's place in our chart describes where we will need to work hard in order to reap the benefits, and where no one can really help us or do it for us because we must be willing to go it alone and persist in our efforts in order to come out on the other side with a sense of accomplishment and pride in the hard work we've done. Someone with Saturn in their 6th house of work might find that they will not have promotions fall easily into their lap, but will benefit from persistent effort in climbing their way up the ladder under their own power. Someone with Saturn in their 9th house of higher education may have had to work harder to achieve their degree, for various reasons, but will have the pride in making it through on their own. This is Saturn's promise.

At the moment we are born, every planet in the current sky is frozen in place, seemingly imprinted on us in the form of our natal chart. As the planets continue to move in the sky, they form connections to their original location at the time of our birth. It's easiest to see this in the example of a planetary return, which simply means any time a planet returns to the place it was at the time of your birth. The Mars Return was discussed in an earlier entry, which happens every 2 or so years.

When Saturn returns at age 29-1/2, we tend to experience a great lesson in growing up, and a prompt for reflection about what it means to be entering our 30s and the beginning of the mid-life period. But a return is not the only meaningful connection a planet can make to our own chart. At approximately ages 5, 7, 10, 15 and on up, Saturn is making a connection to our charts. Each of these connections at these different ages represents a time in our life where we are faced with an opportunity to do a little growing up. These small milestones can sometimes be pivotal turning points in our view of ourselves and our own capability.

Sometimes we are given the opportunity to grow and take on additional responsibility, which any parent knows can give a child a sense of pride and a welcome feeling of having an important duty to fulfill. A great example might be the birth of a new sibling, which can prompt the necessity of fulfilling the Big Brother or Big Sister role and being a helper and caretaker rather than the one being taken care of. Another example might be the first day of school, where the child enters a phase of their life in which they manage things more on their own than they do at home; a need to take on the responsibilities of managing their schoolwork and following instructions.

There are times when the Saturn prompt to mature teaches us self-sufficiency due to circumstances that force us to stop relying on something we have been because we now need to learn to stand on our own. While these circumstances aren't fun and may even be frightening or painful, they allow us to have a real sense of our strength, of what we're capable of, even when the chips or down, or perhaps especially when the chips are down, as we rise to a challenge.

Let's take a look at not-so-little-anymore Ava Phillippe, daughter of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. In October of 2006, when she was 7 years old, her parents announced their separation and filed for divorce, an event that came in Ava's life only a month after she experienced what's known as her Saturn square, a time when sometimes difficult circumstances prompt our growth. Ava's Saturn is in Taurus, a sign which represents a desire for stability and a fixed routine. In this case, the divorce of Ava's parents would have awakened her to the reality that she will not be able to remain in the same sheltered parental/family structure that she had up until now. The challenge for her was to recognize that not only can a new structure can be built, but that she is resilient enough to withstand that change and create a sense of stability and resilience in herself even as her world changes. 

Being the eldest child, perhaps she might have even taken it upon herself to offer shelter and support to her younger brother Deacon, especially since her Sun and Moon are in Virgo, a sign oriented toward service. What might have been a great way to support Ava during this transition would be to help her realize that her structure isn't lost, just changing, and to recognize the role she can play in creating the new one, thereby encouraging her to see where she can take control of this part of her life in how she moves forward as the family changes.

It can be very useful for a parent to understand some of the milestones that don't always have a marker in everyday life, but which astrology tracks quite reliably. In the case of Saturn, a parent can use this knowledge to see how they can assist their child going through a time when they need to learn to stand on their own, so they can feel supported and encouraged to find their own footing as opposed to feeling alone or helpless.