Child(ish) Reads: All Toddlers are Scorpios

| Patti Webb

When I saw this Forthcoming book listing, I thought it was the perfect way to end our Halloween posts.

All Toddlers Are Scorpios: An Astrological Guide to Your Adorable Tiny Terror by Johanna Gohmann. Blending parental exasperation with cosmic insight, Gohmann breaks down toddler personalities by zodiac sign—offering a starry-eyed (and slightly frazzled) look at the joys and mysteries of raising tiny humans. The profiles of each zodiac sign include sections dedicated to best (and worst!) toddler playdate matches; toddler’s preferred music, snacks, and toys; parent-child zodiac compatibility; and hilarious illustrations throughout from cartoonist Emily Flake. Whether you are raising a tenacious Taurus, a balanced Libra, or, yes, a hell-raising Scorpio, this is a book that lets parents laugh at the sheer insanity of sharing their home with a tiny terror.

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House Slytherin

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

…Or perhaps in Slytherin
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends. – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Thanks to Harry’s perspective, many readers associate Slytherin with the villains of the story. In reality, the house is far more complex than its reputation suggests. While its founder, Salazar Slytherin, held the controversial belief that magical education should be reserved for students from magical families, his personal views do not define the values of the house he created.

At its core, Slytherin was founded qualities that can be used for both great good and great harm depending on the choices of the individual. These include:

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All-In: Inclusivity

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Helga Hufflepuff, the founder of Hufflepuff House and known for valuing hard work, patience, loyalty, and fairness, is also remembered for her inclusive philosophy.

While the other founders selected students based on specific talents, Helga welcomed anyone with good character and a willingness to learn; a philosophy that still defines her house.

Hufflepuffs push back against one of the most basic human instincts: the tendency to favor “our own group” and quietly dismiss everyone else. They welcome anyone, bridge social divides, and reject elitist sorting altogether.

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House Hufflepuff

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L
Photo Credit: Pinterest

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil… – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Oh, those good‑natured Hufflepuffs. The Sorting Hat isn’t looking for brilliance, boldness, or cunning in this house; it’s looking for character. Hufflepuff welcomes those whose goodness is steady, practical, and dependable, even when they show it quietly. A young witch or wizard is sorted here when their core qualities reflect the traits Helga Hufflepuff appreciated most:

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Raising an Independent Thinker

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Out of all the Hogwarts houses, Ravenclaws are the most likely to say no (in a good way).

It’s not to be contrarian, but because their instinct is to think before agreeing. Their default mode is “evaluate first, agree second,” so a request often gets filtered through logic, independence, and precision. That internal vetting process makes them question unclear ideas, resist group pressure, and reject anything that feels sloppy or unexamined.

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