Each of us, parents, kids, and teens, have a unique personality type, or COLOR.
Each COLOR has a different set of values, needs, stressors, and motives for behavior.
Click on one of the links below to discover the COLORS in your family.
A brief history of how COLOR WORKS!
For thousands of years people have wondered why we do what we do. In ancient times, Hippocrates, Plato, and others, studied people's actions. They discovered that patterns of behavior fell into four distinct groups or classifications. Hippocrates used some very strange words like "choleric" and "phlegmatic" to label each of the four groups. Plato named the four groups Artisan, Guardian, Philosopher, and Scientist.
If we fast forward to the twentieth century, modern psychologist and social scientist Carl Yung refined our understanding of personality types and human behavior. Later the mother/daughter team of Katherine Briggs and Isabel Briggs-Myers developed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator still widely used in work settings. Using the four basic temperaments as a foundation, they further refined the four basic groups into 16 more specific types.
In the last 50 years or so, different researchers and trainers have also identified these same four groups by many different names. David Keirsey used the names Dionysian, Epimethean, Appollonian, and Promethean to identify the four personality types. Myers-Briggs uses letters like "ENTJ" and "ISFP.” Finally in 1979, Don Lowry assigned a COLOR to each of the four types. Using specifically Orange, Blue, Green, and Gold to identify the four basic personality types has become widely accepted because they are so easy to remember. No matter what the four groups have been called, each group's basic characteristics remain the same. What that means is that the science behind our understanding of personality types is sound.
No matter how they are labeled, there is always a Freedom-Fighter type, a People-Focused type, a Logical-Thinker type, and a Structured-Traditionalist type. To keep things simple, we’ve also adopted the use of these same colors for all of our Family Color Works courses, books, learning kits and programs.
In a nutshell, the Freedom-Fighter is ORANGE; the People-Focused type is BLUE;
the Logical-Thinker is GREEN; and the Structured-Traditionalist is GOLD.
Understanding our COLORS, or personality types, can explain why we do what we do. This is especially helpful to parents in understanding why their children whine, hit, bite, make a mess, throw temper tantrums, become defensive, blame others or... well, you get the picture. On the other hand, understanding your child's COLORS also explains why they set the table, take out the trash, help the neighbor rake leaves, comfort you during a mom-meltdown, shadow you during dad-day in the garage, and a million other great things.
Using the COLORS at home can change your family! We use COLORS to teach family values, to help parents discipline more effectively, to teach kids and teens to make better choices, and to build self-esteem. Using Parenting By Colors and the “Ask, Be, Do” Parenting Process created by Shannon Ward, M.A., will foster GRATITUDE, COMPASSION, RESPOSIBILITY and ACCOUNTIBILITY in your family, at home, and where ever your children may go.
Here’s what you can do next…
GO to the Parent's COLORS page... you will find brief descriptions of the COLORS for parents and adults. See if you can figure out what your COLORS are and have fun!
DISCOVER your Kid's COLORS on the Kid’s Colors page... you will find brief descriptions of the COLORS for children. What COLORS is your child or teen?
LEARN the principles and skills of Parenting By COLORS by attending one of our Courses in person or through our Parenting By Colors DVD Home Learning Kit.
WORK with one of our Family Color Works Personal Coaches, in person if you live in or around Omaha, NE, or by phone from anywhere.
PREORDER the Book "Parenting By PERSONALITY: The Everything Guide to Parenting your child or teen by their personality type, or colors."
HAVE FUN getting to know YOUR family’s colors and learning a whole new way to build a happier family!