Aries

Symbol:       The Ram
Planet:         Mars
Element:      Fire
Best Trait:   Courage
Keyword:     I AM

I often joke that I would try and plan a pregnancy exactly nine months before the sign of the Aries. It’s not that these little strong-willed tykes are necessarily easy to parent, but more than likely they will grow into self-sufficient, independent adults, about whom you won’t have to worry much. This is the ultimate goal of all parents, right? And Aries have all the inherent qualities that naturally equip them for success in life. This is the sign of leadership and courage.

Once you strap this little crusader in his car seat on the way home from the hospital you can be certain that life will never again be dull. Your little Ram will quickly establish his position as boss, and he’ll be very direct about his preferences.  No matter if your baby is a girl or a boy; the Aries strong determination sees no gender boundaries. There is not a subtle bone in this baby’s body. He’ll yell from his crib if he’s not ready to sleep, and he’ll spit out his food if it doesn’t suit his tastes. No amount of gentle coaxing or persuasion will change his mind.  Aries have a natural aversion to authority and they hate to be bossed about, so simply saying “No!” usually doesn’t work.  Dear, frustrated parent of an Aries, if YOU plan to get YOUR way, you’re best advised to subtly guide the child into the desired behavior by creating a challenge around the problem. Aries respond to challenges, as it’s important for them to prove they can accomplish anything, and that they’re better than anyone else. You will have to teach them that there are valid reasons why you say ‘no’ and that you are not just being mean.  Teach them why the rules exist, why others will not always be able to follow their lead, and why it is in their best interest to make peace with the fact that not everyone is going to agree with them every single day about every single thing.

I hope I haven’t scared you. Rest assured, Aries children are not all “spit and vinegar.” Their strength and determination are a big part of their charm. Despite their strong-willed ways, the Aries child is usually very affectionate; giving and receiving love is very important to the little Ram.  This child will be generous with toys and have a vivid, practical imagination – rather than dreamy, impractical fantasies. The Aries curiosity is insatiable so he/she keeps busy learning and figuring out new things.  They love adventure and trying new things, and showing you how good they are at all of their endeavors.

 

Here’s the tricky thing about little Aries:  emotionally they can be fragile. It’s sometimes hard to believe that this confident, independent, take-charge child needs a lot of reassurance, but they do. It’s important for them to know that they are loved. If you want to make sure your little Ram solidifies all of his innate confidence and self-esteem, constantly compliment him on his accomplishments and shower him with love.

Aries children usually walk and talk early, as they are eager to get the show on the road. They are typically healthy, robust children who recover from illness quickly. As “doers” always in action, they can be prone to physical accidents. This is the child that will climb any tree, swing the highest at the playground, ride their bikes impatiently without training wheels, and dive head first into the deep end. It’s not that they are daredevils but that they are quite comfortable taking risks and have a natural “can-do” attitude.  In general, Aries has the ability to set their own limits and will not do anything too crazy, so go ahead and cheer them on.

Best Traits of the Aries:  Energetic, enthusiastic, inspiring, curious, spontaneous, good-leader, direct, helpful, frank, selfless, risk-taker, strong-willed, optimistic, courageous, stimulating, confident, assertive, persevering, independent, extraordinarily exciting

Name Ideas for Baby Aries:  To see a list of baby names you may want to consider for the sun sign of Aries, please follow this link.

Recommended Books for The Aries Child (great baby shower gift ideas):

Children’s Book	Author	Why?
The Giving Tree	Shel Silverstein	Aries tend to be a little self-centric, so they will truly benefit from this timeless story of selflessness and giving.
Where the Wild Things Are	Maurice Sendak	This adventurous tale will surely delight the Aries and bring focus to that restless energy.
Green Eggs and Ham	Dr. Seuss	The Aries imagination is more practical than fantastical, so introduce them to the silliness of Dr. Seuss early on.
Guess How Much I love You?	Sam McBratney	The confident little ram doesn’t seem to need loving reassurance; oh, but he does.
The Lorax	Dr. Seuss	We’ve never met an Aries who didn’t care deeply about nature. This one is a must have.
Go, Dog, Go!	P.D. Eastman	Who knew a dog could be so busy? The Aries will understand because they, too, are doers and go-getters.
Olivia	Ian Falconer	Aries love to do a lot, so they will find a kindred spirit in little Olivia.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit	Beatrix Potter	The little Ram child will love the story of naughty Peter Rabbit always getting into scrapes.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt	Michael Rosen	The courageous little Aries won’t be afraid of a bear hunt. In fact, they’ll love it!
Richard Scarry’s What People Do All Day	Richard Scarry	The “can-do” attitude of the Aries child will love to learn about what other people do all day.