Symbol: The Virgin
Planet: Mercury
Element: Earth
Best Trait: Industrious
Worst Trait: Complainer
Keyword: I ANALYZE
Virgo babies are often full of contradictions. They are little enigmas wrapped up firmly in a riddle and very tricky to figure out. So what does this mean you ask, dear parent of a Virgin? Well, here’s what we know: you need to be ready for anything. Virgo babies are both fussy and fretful, but they are also calm and tranquil. They will likely be fussy about food, but respond well to the routine of feeding. They may cry a lot, but if you’re sure to keep order around their little existence (like changing wet diapers immediately), they’ll coo happily. They generally respond well to baths and prefer to be wearing clean clothes. Virgos have a subconscious drive for order and perfection and they often exhaust themselves just thinking about it.
Ruled by Mercury, the Virgo mind is sharp and crystal clear. As with the Gemini, the Virgin has a copyright on intelligence. Virgos are known for their talent of mimicry early on, and are often walking and talking in advance of other toddlers. They are also Mother’s Little Helper around the house, and accept their chores with dignified responsibility. Typically, the young Virgo is tidy and organized with his/her room, clothes and toys (but this is not universally the case). In play, they are usually systematic with how they line up their matchbox cars, build their Lego models or organize their dolls. They typically like to draw inside the lines. Imagination is not one of their strong suits, so you’d be serving your child well by introducing them to magical stories of fantasy early on. They need their perspective expanded, and you don’t have to worry about filling them up with impractical fantasies. They are far too logical and rooted firmly in realism to be blemished by illusion. But it may soften that intensity for control and order later in life and mitigate some of their nervous energy. Virgos also respond well to education-oriented toys and should be read to constantly to feed their active minds.
Virgos are not excessive like a Leo or prone to spoiling like a Cancer, so be generous with your affection and accolades – lay it on thick because they’ll never let it go to their head. The Virgo child doesn’t ask for much lovey-dovey or physical affection, so you won’t realize how important it actually is to him or her. Older Virgos have a difficult time getting in touch with their inner feelings, so don’t be shy about lavishing them with emotional love throughout their childhood in order to strengthen their emotional self-esteem later in life. You should avoid teasing your young Virgin. They are more sensitive than first meets the eye, and they don’t have a sense of humor about themselves. They’ll take your teasing at face-value and it will hurt them deeply. Criticism should also be used in moderation; Virgos hate failing and too much disparagement will make them feel like a failure, causing them to worry greatly (to the point of becoming physically ill over it). Fortunately, you won’t have much cause to criticize your little Virgin because they are rarely troublesome and mostly do as they’re told. You can also expect your Virgo child to be bashful and timid around strangers; this is not an extroverted sign like Sagittarius or Leo. Typically solitary, Virgos need to be encouraged to develop relationships with new people. At home they are usually quite gregarious, but in front of new people they may come across as haughty and aloof. The irony is that the Virgo makes a very friendly and loyal friend. They are great listeners, super trustworthy and very dependable.
School should go well for your little Virgo for three primary reasons: One, they are very bright, inquisitive and factual; two, they are obedient and don’t question authority (teachers love them!); and three, they do their homework. The focus with Virgo should be on what they’re doing well, and be careful and constructive when pointing out their mistakes. They prefer to find and correct their own errors instead of having them pointed out. They are also the type of kids that don’t like to be singled out in front of their classmates, and public speaking is sheer torture for the typically shy, self-conscious Virgin. The funny thing is that Virgos have a knack for drama – they won’t seek the glory of the starring role, but you’ll often find them directing or producing the show. They have clear vision and are very precise with their actions. The key to the Virgo’s success in school is to focus on the positive. Trust us, the Virgo himself is taking care of the negative. They are hard enough on themselves (but they’re not likely to admit when they’re wrong). At the end of the day, though, you can rest assured that the Virgo values education and understands its importance. You won’t have to do much pestering in this area.
The Virgin is naturally modest and self-conscious, and they are quite private. Your best advised not to meddle in their adolescent crushes or rib them about the opposite sex. Virgo is the sign that’s most often associated with bachelors and spinsters because they don’t easily form close relationships and they’re not risk-takers in matters of love. Ironically, the Virgo has a great capacity for love and they truly care about people, so they are generally excellent partners. They just don’t wear their emotions on their sleeves. This is why we encourage demonstrative love at an early age. It will serve them well later in confidently forming future relationships with a little bit less fear. They are never quite sure of how good-looking they are (which they usually are) or how clever and interesting they are (which they usually are). Convince them of this when they’re children. Virgos are not apt to become arrogant, so compliment them as much as you want.
Virgo children are great kids and generally quite easy to parent, though they are far from perfect. While they constantly strive for perfection, the cruel joke of life is that there’s no such thing as perfect. It just doesn’t exist. But with the Virgo, there’s always room for improvement – they have an incessant determination to improve, accomplish and perfect. What does this mean for you? Your child will be responsible, obedient, sincere, sympathetic and helpful. But he’ll also have spells of fussiness, complaining and obsessive-compulsion. For the most part, this child is easy to handle and a dependable companion for mother and father. Just do what you can to mitigate that penchant for worry and secret self-doubt. This little one needs you more than he/she can communicate. They communicate everything with crystal-like clarity – everything, that is, but their own inner feelings. Just because they are such good kids who don’t often give you any trouble, that doesn’t mean they don’t need your attention. Just the opposite. They think they need to be perfect in order to be loved. By ignoring those deep emotional needs (which is easy to do with the Virgo), you are denying them the very thing that will make them emotionally well-adjusted adults. Hug them, kiss them, praise them, play with them – let them laugh, give them the space to lighten up that usually serious, stressful mood of theirs. They need permission to relax, and they need the reassurance that they’re loved for exactly who they are.
And who are they exactly? They are a little package of contractions as we first said. They don’t display neediness for love, but they need it desperately. They have a calm and tranquil demeanor, but inside they are a bundle of nerves with a restless energy. They are shy and reserved, but surprisingly perceptive, funny and friendly. They have difficulty forming close relationships, but they make the most loyal and dependable friends and partners. They are intelligent, precise and orderly, but often can’t see the forest for the trees. They can’t take criticism but they have a tendency to focus on the negative. They strive for perfection but are terrified of failure. The best way to bring out their most positive traits (and they have a ton of them!) is through affectionate love, constant encouragement and genuine acceptance.
Best Traits of the Virgo: Observant, dedicated, sympathetic, creative, organized, reliable, analytical, kind, sensual, efficient, helpful, thoughtful, witty, charming, industrious, compassionate, sexy as hell
Worst Traits of the Virgo: Over-critical, bitchy, fussy, always complaining, pedantic, indecisive, always worrying, shrewd, annoying, anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive, argumentative
| Children’s Book | Author | Why? |
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Shel Silverstein
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Virgos like to be useful to others, and this is a story about giving selflessly for the benefit of another.
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Judy & Ron Barrett
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A hilariously messy story about food raining down should help the Virgo lighten up!
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Crockett Johnson
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Harold with his purple crayon will help teach your Virgo the importance and fun of imagination.
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Sam McBratney
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Little Nutbrown Hare has a difficult time putting his love into words should help the little Virgo know he isn’t alone!
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Philip C. Stead
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Virgos are little caretakers so they’ll respond to this story of Amos McGee’s friends making him feel better.
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Bill Martin
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A charming alphabet book and read-aloud favorite will both delight and educate your little Virgo.
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| Not A Box |
Antoinette Portis
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This is a book that encourages the little Virgo to do what he doesn’t do naturally: “think outside the box”
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| Nancy Tillman | This is a story that reminds little Virgos that everyone makes mistakes | |
| Dr. Seuss |
Teaches the little Virgo that chaos does return to order, but in the meantime, have some fun!
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| On the Night You Were Born | Nancy Tillman |
A wonderful and demonstratively loving book for parents to read affectionately to the little Virgo.
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