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Local expert explains the parenting brain at Ela Library
Local personality expert Sheila Glazov's hosts a seminar Sept. 12 at the Ela Area Public Library to help parents better understand their brains. | Michael Schmidt~Sun-Times Media
Glazov’s brain theory
Yellow: dependable and dedicated
Blue: devoted and enthusiastic
Green: objective and calm
Orange: fun and resourceful
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Updated: September 21, 2012 7:58AM
LAKE ZURICH — Local personality expert Sheila Glazov has a new and different way of addressing the challenges of parenting.
Several years ago, Glazov came up with four distinct “brain colors,” with corresponding personality attributes to fit each color. Recently, she conducted a workshop at the Ela Area Public Library in Lake Zurich to help parents find out their “parenting brain colors.”
“Our greatest stimulant is color,” said Glazov, explaining that her work has been influenced by the well-known Myers Briggs personality test.
She found, however, that most people could not remember the series of numbers that reveal their individual Myers Briggs result.
“I figured it was much easier to work with a brain color,” Glazov explained.
Participants at the Ela Library took Glazov’s brain color quiz to discover their brain color personality. Glazov explained that knowing about brain colors can help people communicate with each other, resolve conflicts quickly, minimize frustration, decrease stress and increase harmony.
“Different brain colors communicate in different ways,” the Barrington resident said. “If we give people this foundation, we can make it easy and fun.”
Glazov’s brain colors are yellow, green, blue and orange. She chose orange over red because she found orange to be more vibrant. Orange-brained people, she explained, are the most childlike.
Glazov, who also conducts similar workshops geared toward the workplace, went on to help parents decipher which color best fit their attributes.
Randy Heidenfelder, a Lake Zurich resident who attended the local workshop last week, said she found the brain color system interesting and helpful.
“It really helps me understand other people and how to deal with them,” she said. “It helps with interaction.”
Glazov added that teaching brain colors to children could be very helpful as a tool they can use to know themselves better.
“Brain color language is non-judgmental,” she explained. “And the children get it right away.”
Glazov said children’s brain colors do not differ much from adult brain colors. She said yellow children learn best with consistency, green children work best with investigation, blue children thrive with other peoples’ help, and orange children work best with hands-on activities.
Glazov said children are likely to learn better if they know their own brain color.
“Our children don’t always have the best tools to communicate,” she said. “It’s how children discover who they are.”
Glazov bases her series of workshops on her book, “What Color Is Your Brain?” She also wrote a version for children that incorporates a fairy tale into the brain color theory.
As people change throughout their lives, she added, brain colors could change as well. One’s brain colors also can change between the workplace, home and other areas of daily life.
“Very rarely are you exactly the same color in all facets of your life,” she said.
Glazov came up with the idea for her brain colors theory when she was teaching a creative problem solving class. Glazov was an elementary school teacher and taught English as a second language at the high school level, among other teaching assignments.
As a parent herself, Glazov said knowing her and her family’s colors has enhanced her relationships with them.
“Being an educator, you take psychology classes,” she said. “As a parent, you live that.”
