The Emperor represents qualities such as leadership, responsibility, and protection. For children, these qualities can help them feel empowered and capable of handling various situations in their lives. Obviously, not every child is going to grow up to be President or the CEO of some corporation; buy by channeling the energy of The Emperor, children can learn to create order, make thoughtful decisions, and lead with compassion.
Let’s look at some of the specific traits and energies of The Emperor that can help children grow in a positive direction.
Establish Routine and Consistency: The Emperor thrives on order and predictability. For children, having a consistent routine helps them feel secure and understand what is expected of them. This could involve regular times for homework, chores, and bedtime which provide a balanced structure to their day.
Our son, whom we adopted at 3 years old via foster care, came from a background of homelessness and neglect. One of the key lessons we learned from our foster training is the importance of setting consistent routines, and it has been a critical part of our son understanding healthy boundaries and expectations, particularly now that he is starting puberty. His routines have not only created space for him to be successful in school (with dedicated time set aside for daily reading and homework), but allowed him to establish relationship with personal hygiene and self-expression.Encourage Leadership and Responsibility: The Emperor symbolizes authority and leadership. Children can learn to be leaders in their own lives by taking responsibility for their actions and decisions, but also by being a role model or mentor for their friends and other kids around them.
It amazes me how many of our son’s friends do not have regular chores or ways to routinely demonstrate responsibility. That’s not to say they aren’t responsible kids, of course. We, as his parents, have linked his chores to his allowance so he can be begin to see the importance of responsibility in ways that affect other areas of his life. We also encouraged him at school to take on a “tutor” role to help students in first or second grade who were struggling with reading and math. He is also a mentor in his karate practice, helping teach the younger children the grasp the basics of form. This not only allows him to learn leadership skills but reinforces his own skills through comparison and evaluation.Foster Problem-Solving Skills: The Emperor values logic and rational thinking. Encouraging children to think through their problems and come up with their own solutions helps them develop critical thinking skills. This can be applied to everything from schoolwork to resolving conflicts with friends.
Sometimes, as parents, it’s very easy to jump in and solve a simple problem for our kids – often if only to keep them quiet and move on. Teaching reflection and different ways to think about problems will help them to not only be fast thinkers, but be able to look at a problem from a number of different perspectives to help identify the most efficient solution. Encouraging individual problem solving is important, but so reflecting on both the problem and solution to see where improvements could have been made.Promote Fairness and Justice: The Emperor is also a symbol of fairness and justice. Teaching children to treat others with respect and fairness helps them develop strong moral values. This includes understanding the importance of rules and why they are in place.
This is perhaps one of the most important traits of The Emperor when it comes to children. With so much exposure to social media (and friends who have so much exposure to social media), attitudes towards fairness, respect, and what is considered acceptable or appropriate are easily skewed. Setting up our children to understand fairness, equality, and respect is something that will evolve with age and communication. Pointing out age-appropriate situations to our children and talking about the how’s, what’s, and why’s is important for them to be able to evaluate situations with the input from an adult, so they aren’t just left to figure things out on their own or through some other flawed (often digital) explanation.
Our son is bi-racial and has recently been involved in some situations this last year where some of friends have been using the “n” word. We talked extensively about the history of the word, appropriation, and what his opinions are when his friends use it. He has now formed his own opinion and openly asks his other friends to not use it. His willingness to be vocal about not using it not only stops the practice with his friends, but gives others the confidence (through his example) to speak up themselves when something makes them uncomfortable.Mistakes as a Learning Tool: he Emperor card symbolizes wisdom and maturity, teaching us that embracing mistakes is crucial for growth. Encouraging children to see errors as learning opportunities not only enhances their critical thinking but also helps them balance their expectations of success and failure.
In today’s world, participation trophies are common, but this practice can inadvertently promote a sense of entitlement. Recognizing actual performance, on the other hand, helps children understand their capabilities in a more meaningful way, fostering genuine self-improvement.
Take my son, for example. He competed in the school spelling bee in both 4th and 5th grades. Watching the first few spellers tearfully exit the competition was tough. In 4th grade, my son placed 5th out of 24 participants, and he was pleasantly surprised by his own performance as he was up against 4th and 5th graders. By the next bee in 5th grade, he had learned from his previous mistakes and experiences in the 4th grade competition. This time he smashed it and took 1st in a very drawn out, heated competition against one other student. They both performed exceptionally well, demonstrating that success often comes through trial, error, and perseverance. His win made him something of a local celebrity, being recognized not only by different students in other grades, but also out in the community. The trophy still sits proudly on his desk.
Questions to Reflect The Emperor’s Lessons: To help children reflect on the qualities of The Emperor, here are a few questions they can ask themselves:
What are some qualities that you see in a good leader? What qualities do you see in yourself that would make you a good leader? What qualities do you think you should work on?When have I taken responsibility for my actions, and what did I learn from it?How do I help my friends and family feel safe and supported?When have you had to standard up for what is right? How did that make you feel? What happened as a result of you speaking out?What is an example of a problem for which you came up with a solution that made you proud?What are some of the routines you have in your life? Are there any routines you’ve set for yourself outside of what is put in place by your family or teachers?
By embodying The Emperor’s lessons, children can develop the skills and mindset needed to become compassionate leaders who are confident, responsible, and thoughtful. Encouraging them to reflect on these qualities helps them grow into well-rounded individuals who can navigate life’s challenges with ease.
