10 Parenting Things You Don't Realize You're Doing Because You Are A Cancer

Paul Blumer of SunSigns writes, "The Cancer woman is the epitome of motherhood. There is no greater joy than carrying and giving birth to a child." Even when pregnancy isn't super-fun (hello morning sickness) a Cancer mom's sense that she's building a family overshadows the bad. She's just over the moon (which happens to be her ruling "planet," by the way) knowing she's already nurturing her little one inside of her.

It makes sense that a sign that's so effusively emotional, but also generally shy, would find deep contentment in family life: it's the perfect outlet through which to be sentimental and expressive, but still private.

Cancer rules the Fourth House, genitor, also known as the House of Home and Family. This house is especially associated with early childhood, according to The Astro Codex, so it stands to reason that Cancer mothers really take their role very much to heart. And not that other mothers aren't nurturing, of course, but Cancer mothers are not only extra nurturing but are very aware of how important it is to them (even if they're not always aware that it may be because they're Cancers)!

Astrologer Molly Hall wrote for LiveAbout, "Medical astrology, or iatromathematics as it was called in ancient Greece, is an ancient medical system that associates various parts of the body and diseases with the twelve astrological signs of the zodiac and other celestial bodies." According to iatromathematics, Cancer rules the stomach, chest, and breasts. So breastfeeding may be something that takes on particular significance or importance for a Cancer mom, whether or not she chooses to (or is able to) breastfeed herself.

Your child's most common view of you is you beaming while holding your phone up to them whenever they do literally anything. (Honestly, they don't even have to do anything. They can just sit their with those adorable little faces that just make you want to pinch their cheeks.) But this isn't mindless snapping. According to Momstrology, "You’re the mom who actually prints and frames all those digital photos or makes bound books every Christmas, while the rest of us guiltily leave them on our hard drives."

Why? As a Cancer, you're extremely sentimental. You know childhood is fleeting and you want to be able to treasure your memories forever.

This all plays into the fact that you're both naturally sentimental and preoccupied with family. So holidays, with their various traditions and heirlooms and memories and the fact that you know it's an opportunity to create memories for your little one, creates some very big feels you in, little crab. Generally speaking, you're working hard (but happily) to ensure the best possible childhood for your kids, but the holidays get you going in overdrive.

We've all heard of a mama bear, but mess with a mama crab and you get the claws. Like the hard-shelled crab, Cancers tend to be extremely insular and defensive of themselves, and that's only magnified when it comes to their babies. Cancer moms can therefore, according to Tarot.com, become somewhat overprotective. "A Cancer mother needs to be reminded ... that she can’t protect her children from everything. After all, a house should be a home, not a fortress from every possible danger the world has to offer. This loving sign is well-intentioned, but often runs the risk of raising sheltered children who are either fearful or naive when they leave the nest."

Why have your kids do something when it's no bother for you to do them yourself, right? After all, they're only little once and you do so love taking care of them.

Except, honey, no.

"The Cancer mother personality traits show that although it is wonderful and sweet that she does everything for her children, she needs to realize that she has to let them learn to do these things for themselves," writes Blumer.

No one blames you for wanting to fuss over every little thing for your kid, Cancer mama, but it's important to remember that while your child is always going to be your little baby, you can't always baby them.

Being a water sign means that you're emotional and are good at reading the emotions of others. When it comes to loving on your babies, sensing when others could use a hug, and enjoying the good things in life, nothing is more beautiful than the emotions of a water sign.

But it also means that your emotions can be pretty water-like: deep, healing, and tranquil, yes, but also powerful, destructive, and scary. And because your emotions run so close to the surface, it doesn't take much to get you going... good or bad. So while, say, a Capricorn mom can just shrug off her kid telling her she's "being a bad mommy," a Cancer mom may get extremely hurt and lash out as a result.

"[Cancers] are moody as hell, and they can be extremely thin-skinned despite their tough crab shells," writes astrologer Danny Larkin for Vice.

But, let's be honest: if there's a group that's allowed to fly of the handle sometimes it should be moms. We put up with a lot, you guys.

Did you start decorating your baby's nursery (complete with furniture that had been passed down through the family and old photos and sentimental objects all around)? Makes sense: a crab carries its home on its back, and home is similarly close to a Cancer's heart.

Naturally shy and family oriented, this sign likes to spend a lot of time at home and, as such, is motivated to create a cozy domicile. "A true homebody," says Astrostyle, "you find it incredibly hard to leave the house once you’re there."

You don't love leaving the house, and when you do have to go out in public, you're generally reserved and sometimes somewhat surly when meeting new people. But since there's nothing you won't do for your children, you may find that the things you do for them — playground trips, joining the PTA, Mommy and Me classes — connects you with others on a level you can be comfortable with: mom to mom. As Samantha Leal, writing for Marie Claire puts it, "Talking about your kids lets you quietly screen people before deciding that they're worthy of your trust."