Education and Tools for Parents Learning about Neurodivergence For Their Kids

Not Every Brain Is a “Blue Brain” (And That’s a Good Thing)

The world is largely designed for blue brains—the standard, the expected, the default.

But not every child has a blue brain.

Some kids have orange brains—creative, spontaneous, nonlinear thinkers.

Some have green brains—deep thinkers, hyper-focused, pattern seekers.

Others are every shade in between.

The challenge? Society often expects kids to act like blue brains.

If your child isn’t a blue brain, they may have been told (explicitly or subtly) to:

❌ “Just focus.”

❌ “Stop being so sensitive.”

❌ “Try harder to fit in.”

But what if the goal isn’t making them more blue?

What if the goal is helping them thrive in their own color—in a world that often expects blue?

How to Support an Orange or Green Brain in a Blue-Brain World

The key to helping your child flourish is safety and capability—when they feel safe and supported, they can:

✅ Drop the mask of trying to “look blue.”

✅ Ask for what they actually need, not what others assume they need.

This requires unlearning and relearning as a parent. Instead of asking:

🔵 “How can I make my child more blue?”

Ask instead:

🌈 “How can I help my child exist as their true color without burning out?”

🌈 “What supports do they actually need to function at their best?”

🌈 “Where do they feel safe enough to be themselves?”

Dropping the Mask (When It’s Safe to Do So)

Kids often mask (pretend to be blue) as a survival skill.

But masking all the time leads to:

🚨 Burnout

🚨 Anxiety

🚨 Feeling disconnected from themselves

The goal isn’t to make them stop masking entirely—it’s to help them recognize when and where they don’t have to.

As a parent, you can ask:

💡 Who are the people that accept them as they are?

💡 What environments allow them to function naturally?

💡 Where do they feel less pressure to “perform” neurotypicality?

The Forest Analogy: Helping Your Child Navigate THEIR Challenges

Everyone has their own forest—the challenges, struggles, and overwhelming parts of life.

The mistake?

Kids are often told what’s “hard” based on someone else’s experience—not their own.

For example:

🛑 Some kids fear social rejection—their “forest” might be public speaking or making friends.

🛑 Others struggle with sensory overload—their “forest” might be crowded places, bright lights, or chaotic environments.

The first step is identifying your child’s actual forests—not assuming them based on typical expectations.

How to Help Your Child Prepare for the Forest (Without Losing Themselves in It)

Forests aren’t bad places. In fact, many people learn to love them.

Life gets much richer when kids learn to navigate their forests instead of avoiding them completely.

Our job as parents isn’t to remove every challenge—it’s to equip them with the tools they need to handle those challenges in a way that works for their brain.

Instead of asking:

🔵 “How can I make them push through?”

Try asking:

🌈 “What do they need to feel safe and capable?”

Here are some ways to help them prepare:

🛠 Sensory supports: Earplugs, sunglasses, fidget tools

🛠 Coping strategies: Grounding techniques, breathing exercises

🛠 Self-advocacy skills: Teaching them how to ask for breaks, accommodations, or modifications

The Goal: Helping Your Child Thrive in Their Own Color

Your child does not need to become a blue brain to be successful.

The goal is to help them:

✅ Understand and embrace their own color.

✅ Build a life that works for their unique brain.

✅ Find spaces where they don’t have to mask.

When we stop trying to change their color and instead support their way of thinking and learning, we create space for real growth.

Key Takeaways for Parents

🔹 Not all brains are “blue”—and that’s a good thing. Embrace your child’s unique color.

🔹 Masking is sometimes necessary, but not all the time. Help your child find places where they don’t have to.

🔹 Your child’s “forests” are unique to them—don’t assume their challenges based on someone else’s fears.

🔹 Preparing for challenges doesn’t mean forcing them to change—it means equipping them to move through the world in their own way.

By understanding your child’s true colors and giving them the tools they need, you help them thrive as themselves—not just survive trying to be someone else.