# What are these astrologers going to do about "children mistakes"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113 "2017-04-24T01:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/1 "2017-04-24T01:48:37Z")
A few of us like to collaborate on the office lunchtime crosswords, one source of which is the “local” indy-type daily newspaper. Over the last year I’ve vaguely notice that it contains quite a few east-indian astrological advertisements. Last week I read them in detail to see what they’d offer; in addition to several misspellings and other errors, it’s the expected “black magic”, “Work Problems”, “Lottery” offerings. But 1/2 of them listed “Children Mistakes”. :dubious: They were all using that specific spelling, so now I’m wondering… are they offering to fix mistakes made _by_ children? Or (more sinisterly) you think the _children_ are the mistake? In any or either case, if anyone is signing up for this service, exactly _what_ are they expecting to have happen? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/2 "2017-04-24T02:20:16Z")
Maybe it’s a euphemism for infertility or selecting the sex of a child. Those are my top 2 guesses, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/3 "2017-04-24T02:39:52Z")
My WAG: Pregnancy termination. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/4 "2017-04-24T03:26:00Z")
Here’s an [example](http://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-services/city-of-toronto/worlds-famous-astrologer-psychic-spiritualist/1218214314) of such an ad from Toronto. My guess based on the other problems listed is that it’s just an awkward way to refer to problems with children (bad behavior, bad grades, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/5 "2017-04-24T19:05:24Z")
East Indian? Maybe it refers to the mistake by the wife of giving birth to a girl instead of a boy? If you pay your astrologer they can advise you whether the coming child will be a boy…? ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/6 "2017-04-24T19:21:02Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Here’s an [example](http://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-services/city-of-toronto/worlds-famous-astrologer-psychic-spiritualist/1218214314) of such an ad from Toronto. > > My guess based on the other problems listed is that it’s just an awkward way to refer to problems with children (bad behavior, bad grades, etc.) well wtf is “_wealth sickness_” I volunteer to have it! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/7 "2017-04-24T19:57:44Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Here’s an [example](http://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-services/city-of-toronto/worlds-famous-astrologer-psychic-spiritualist/1218214314) of such an ad from Toronto. > > My guess based on the other problems listed is that it’s just an awkward way to refer to problems with children (bad behavior, bad grades, etc.) From that context, it sounds like it may be talking about juvenile crime or misdemeanour ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/8 "2017-04-24T21:16:19Z")
[This psychic’s page](https://intuitivevicky.com/2015/03/06/parents-stop-think-act/) lists mistakes many parents make with their children. I’m inclined to think the ads refer to helping parents correct these things in their own behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/9 "2017-04-24T22:09:07Z")
Astrological signs are associated with personality types and behaviors so it doesn’t seem like a stretch for an astrology “expert” to bill themselves out as an expert on psychology as well. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/10 "2017-04-24T22:30:22Z")
You would think that someone so powerful would have better spelling and grammar, even if English is their second language. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/11 "2017-04-24T22:36:27Z")
“Children problems” usually covers any problem that children are having (real or imaginary), problems the parents have with their children (real or imaginary) or any problem (real or imaginary) that vaguely has a person (real or imaginary) under 21 connected to it. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/12 "2017-04-24T22:39:01Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > well wtf is “_wealth sickness_” > I volunteer to have it! You probably don’t want to volunteer. Usually in this context “wealth sickness” refers to a “sickness” (physical, mental, or spiritual) that prevents the person from acquiring the wealth that is intended for them ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/13 "2017-04-24T23:59:37Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > You probably don’t want to volunteer. Usually in this context “wealth sickness” refers to a “sickness” (physical, mental, or spiritual) that prevents the person from acquiring the wealth that is intended for them Oh, well i already have that then ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/14 "2017-04-25T00:29:28Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > Oh, well i already have that then 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/15 "2017-04-25T00:54:09Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > You would think that someone so powerful would have better spelling and grammar, even if English is their second language. Perhaps they’ve been studying the masters of American marketing, some of whom seem to have [challenges with their first language](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/14-worst-typos-ever#sm.0001g8ml5ou0ifdtx7923jokgd6ry). From talking to Indian and Bangladeshi colleagues, their children’s poor judgement and failure to follow parental advice [we’re talking about kids into their 30s] is a perennial topic of conversation. I got quoted something that may have been a proverb, that the only thing worse than having no kids was to have children that were so good that you couldn’t spend the rest of your life criticising their mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-astrologers-going-to-do-about-children-mistakes/785113/16 "2017-04-25T03:49:45Z")
I looked in one of the local free newspapers and none of the psychics mentioned “children mistakes” specifically, but they all mentioned bringing families closer together. So I’m leaning towards it meaning the psychic will solve general tension and arguments between parents and children.