What if there was a way for you to understand your child's learning style that much easier?
I think I can help! - by Sarah Brynteson
It is that time of year again. The time of year that fresh pencils are sharpened, books are cracked open or downloaded, and learning begins anew.
As a mom of two young adults, I would relish taking pictures of their first days of school each year and see how that day would go.
As a former Middle School Teacher of 14 years in the subject of Reading to Developmental Readers and Remedial ones, I know that the first couple of days are all about building community. To build a feeling of safety, because when you feel safe in a classroom it is easier to learn.
What if that isn’t enough though?
The truth is even in a safe environment learning doesn’t always come easy. That is where the teachers and parents try to help, and now me too.
How it began
In 1999 I was hired as Teacher on Special Assignment: Special Education 6-8. I had 13 students that I worked with along with two Educational Assistants. I learned more in that one year about modification, learning styles, and collaboration than all my years at the college I went to. This, by the way, is normal. Ask any teacher and they will likely all say that they learned more through being in a school than going to one.
Then in 2000, Minnesota decided they would measure student progress through the Basic Skills Test. This is similar to the Iowa Basics that I took as a child, and focused on reading and math. Eventually it would become the MCAs, which also looped in writing and science. As a result, reading teachers became a need, and I was able to fill one of those roles.
For fourteen years I would continue to teach students at what we would call “Developmental” or “Skills” levels. Developmental readers were in my classroom for a semester and learned how to decode text for understanding and had time with test prep in general. Skills readers typically read 2-3 grade levels below their grade level and needed additional support. I also had emerging English Language Learners and Special Education students in my classroom.
To get the “buy in” to read requires a level of trust. We built that on the first day. I shared that everyone in this room was here for a reason, and that is okay. Teasing or making fun of someone because of their ability to read silently or aloud would not be tolerated. I was firm about this because if there was a fear that they could be teased, then learning would be a struggle.
They listened. They learned. They helped each other.
My favorite thing to do with the students is figure out a book they would want to read. To do that, I would ask what type of movie or television show interested them most, then try to pair it with a book of a similar theme. It worked. My theory was once they found one book they felt successful with, then others would follow. I did not limit it to just novels either. Graphic Novels were included just as much as picture books too. Reading is reading after all.
As a mom, though, I didn’t really know what to do with the fact our youngest struggled with reading. He had pull outs in Elementary School, and it wasn’t until an amazing Reading Teacher in 7th grade did reading start to click. As someone with a Reading Licensure, it is very humbling to know that I couldn’t figure it out and another teacher did. I am forever grateful to that teacher.
After leaving teaching, I thought this ability to help children and parents would have ended.
The reality is it just changed into something new with astrology.
As I was taking my classes through Debra Silverman’s school of Astrology, I had my children’s birth charts next to mine. That is when I had my lightbulb moment. I realized I could better understand their energy by looking at their charts. I began to wonder if that was a thing that could be done with astrology, as many of the astrologers out there only worked with adults.
Then, Debra had her winter intensive that happens in December every year. There she interviewed Tara Vogal of Luminary Parenting. She is an astrologer that specializes in helping parents understand their children through their child’s chart.
I had another lightbulb moment. I could do that too! You see, when I would have conferences with parents, many times their child would be fine in my class and be “the problem” in others. Why? Well, likely the material was hard to understand, and when things are hard to understand we tend to tune out. So I would spend most of my time in these conferences helping parents navigate how to work in other classrooms.
Using a child’s birth chart is not that different.
By taking Tara’s Parenting Astrology course, I learned about the different “years” that a child experiences:
Ages 0-7: Moon years - The Moon represents our emotional base and how we regulate it in our charts. The focus is on mom and dad and how they can help their child in those early years.
Ages 7-14: Mercury years - Mercury represents our mind and communication and how we process information. It makes sense that the years children start school would be emphasizing this.
Ages 14-21: Venus years - Venus represents our relationships, values, and finances. During these years puberty happens, children are growing up and possibly going off to college or even starting their own lives. All of those things that Venus represents are usually tested during those times.
Ages 21-42: Sun years - The Sun represents our ego and identity. During this timeframe an individual is “making their mark” in the world in one way or another.
Ages 42-49: Mars years - Mars represents our drive and determination, or anger and motivation. For many, these 7 years represent the push to the retirement finish line and making sure what they are passionate about rings true.
Ages 49-56: Jupiter years - Jupiter represents expansion, philosophy, and in traditional astrology the spiritual side of things. Debra Silverman’s School of Astrology calls Jupiter the Santa Claus of the Zodiac because he brings gifts. The idea here is that the gifts of all the hard work that was done in the previous years are starting to take hold and be accessed.
Ages 56-63: Saturn years - Saturn is the great teacher of the zodiac. These are the lessons that we get to learn that cannot be bypassed. It doesn’t mean the lessons are hard or easy, though they can be, it is just something you learn. Around ages 30 and 60 we have our Saturn Returns. The first one is typically the official move into adulthood, and the second tends to be a reflection of what you have learned over your years and possibly sharing with others.
When I work with parents, especially those of school age, I tend to focus most on their Mercury placement. This can give clues to how to help their child with school. In looking at my own children’s charts, I now understand why audiobooks are a favorite of my youngest and why he thrives with them, while my oldest loves to dig into tried and true physical books.
My youngest’s Mercury is in an Air sign, and my oldest in an Earth sign. Air signs tend to talk and do better with verbal cues, while Earth signs tend to like physical, grounded information.
That was another lightbulb moment.
What if I could make a simple tool that could help a parent understand their child in this way and make school easier?
In addition to helping parents understand their children through their birth chart with Parenting Astrology, I created a tool that combined my years of knowledge and different learning styles with their Mercury placement.
I wanted to create something that could be used with ease even if the parent, or person accessing it, has no astrology knowledge.
I wanted to create tips and ideas on how to incorporate different learning styles to go with those Mercury placements.
Most of all, I wanted to create a new tool for their toolbox that may be helpful.
So I did.
It is called: Mercury’s Wisdom: Discovering Learning Styles for all Ages.
Mercury’s Wisdom: Discovering Learning Styles for All Ages is a self-paced program designed to help both parents and individuals unlock the secrets of learning styles through the lens of Mercury in astrology.
This program provides a comprehensive, downloadable PDF guide that serves as both the main resource and the copy for the program page, making it easy to follow along at your own pace. Inside, you'll find clear explanations of Mercury's role in shaping how we process information, communicate, and learn. Whether you're a parent seeking to better understand your child's unique learning style or an individual curious about your own, this program offers practical insights and actionable steps.
The PDF guide is filled with intuitive exercises, reflection prompts, and real-life examples to help you apply astrological wisdom to everyday learning challenges. In addition to the guide, you'll have access to a short meditation designed to help you connect with Mercury's energy and enhance your learning experience. The program also includes a curated list of resources for further exploration, supporting you on your journey to greater self-awareness and effective communication. Mercury's Wisdom is your invitation to discover new ways of understanding yourself and those you care about, all in a supportive, self-paced format that fits your lifestyle.
Seeing your child struggle in school because things are too hard or too easy is never something a parent wants. Mercury’s Wisdom is designed to help with that. With this being a stand-alone, self-paced guide, you can start it anytime it is right for you and revisit it as often as you like. Likewise, if you would like to learn more about your children’s energy through their birth chart, you can also choose to book a Parenting Astrology consult too.
I wish I had known about astrology when our children were younger. Figuring this out when they were 15 and 18, respectively, was still helpful. Looking back doesn’t get us anywhere though, and while I cannot turn back time, I can help those by moving forward. Either way, it is my hope that this helps you and your child or children navigate life that much easier.
With love and stardust,
Sarah
Hi, I’m Sarah Brynteson — mom, astrologer, intuitive Celtic Seer, and the voice behind Written in the Stars. I help individuals understand their own energy through their birth chart, and I have a special love for helping parents understand their children’s energy, too. Understanding our children in this way was a game changer for me, as you will read below, and I hope it will be for you as well!
As a graduate of the Debra Silverman School of Astrology and one of her Certified Chart Rectification Specialists, a former middle school teacher, and someone who believes, deeply, that dreams become reality when we choose to make it so, I write musings about topics that feel important to me — and hopefully helpful to you as well!
If you are interested in learning more about Parenting Astrology you can find that information here:
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