The Explosive Child

Publisher's Summary

Dr. Ross Greene, a distinguished clinician and pioneer in the treatment of kids with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges, has worked with thousands of explosive children, and he has good news: these kids aren't attentionseeking, manipulative, or unmotivated, and their parents aren't passive, permissive disciplinarians. Rather, explosive kids are lacking some crucial skills in the domains of flexibility/adaptability, frustration tolerance, and problem solving, and they require a different approach to parenting.

The Explosive Child is the highly acclaimed, lifechanging parenting guide in which Dr. Greene first delineated the Collaborative Problem Solving approach.  Dr. Greene explains why kids exhibit challenging behaviors, why traditional behavior management strategies may not be effective for many kids, and how to use Plan B to solve problems collaboratively and teach your child the skills he or she is lacking.  

As the model has evolved over the years, so has The Explosive Child, and it is available here in an abridged and updated fourth edition narrated by Dr. Greene.

Throughout this compassionate, insightful, and practical book, Dr. Greene provides a new conceptual framework for understanding their difficulties.  He explains why traditional parenting and treatment often don't work with these children, and he describes what to do instead. Instead of relying on rewarding and punishing, Dr. Greene's Collaborative Problem Solving model promotes working with explosive children to solve the problems that precipitate explosive episodes, and teaching these kids the skills they lack.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2011 Dr. Ross Greene (P)2011 Dr. Ross Greene

Short but effective

I was worried that it would be to short to be useful. But it makes sense. Is to the point, and has practical examples... Now I need to apply it ;)

But I am very satisfied with my choice so far.

15 of 15 people found this review helpful

This book saved my family

I couldn't stop crying. After countless counselors, therapists, evaluations and doctors finally I've got an answer. The author describes my son my struggles even my inner conflicts to a t. Just before I completely gave up you gave me the tools to save our family.

27 of 28 people found this review helpful

I started to cry....and this Dad doesn't do that

What made the experience of listening to The Explosive Child the most enjoyable?

It spoke of a child that few experience and even fewer understand. It spoke of my daughter. I would not trade my daughter for the world, and I certainly wouldn't change the beautiful particularity that makes her who she is.... with that said she can drain the life out of me at times. If you have an explosive child you will understand what I mean. If you have other people try to tell you what to do (and you wish they wouldn't), you feel incompetent, or worse as a parent, even though you do EVERYTHING in EVERY parenting book you could get your hands on to a T, this book is for you. I started to cry when he started to describe just who my daughter is, and was relived I wasn't getting it all wrong. This book helped My wife and I tremendously and i recommend it to all fellow Explosive Child Parents

What does Ross W. Greene bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love how he reads it, he has a compassion in his voice, I always like when the narrator is the author

What did you learn from The Explosive Child that you would use in your daily life?

How to see things the way my child see them and work with that to accomplish what we both really want.

Any additional comments?

GET THIS BOOK, if you have a child that is explosive, work with one, care for one, or know someone who does

37 of 39 people found this review helpful

PARENTING SKILLS FOR ALL

While this book describes an extreme problem, all kids will explode at some point and these problem solving skills are great for resolving an unpleasant situation.

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Wonderful and Useful

Would you listen to The Explosive Child again? Why?

Absolutely, to review the wonderful advice and refresh my understanding

What other book might you compare The Explosive Child to and why?

Superparenting in ADHD

Which character – as performed by Ross W. Greene – was your favorite?

N/a

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

If a child has the skills and ability to be and act better they would

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

A solution...

A solution offered to parents by a professional who actually realizes that the typical parenting approach doesn't work, not because you're a bad or lazy parent, but because it simply doesn't work for your child. This book is concise, helps you understand your child better, and teaches you to stop doing what doesn't work, and replace it with it's an approach that will likely be more effective.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Wish it wasn't abridged!

This is a fantastic book, I enjoyed it, it was an easy listen and it gave some fantastic ideas and insight, along with excellent perspective on working with children. This actually could be used in interactions with anyone. What is easy to forget sometimes when working with my kids is that they are so young and do not have anywhere near the skills that we have as parents to deal with change. I still have a lot of work to do when it comes to adapting with change myself! So in summary, a great book a relevant book I will listen to it again soon.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

VERY enlightening

This gave me the tools that I need to understand why my child is explosive and how to help him with through those emotions.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

excellent

Useful book for those of us who've tried everything else and are sick of professionals telling us that sticker charts will help!
Only wish there was an unabridged version.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Powerful tool to put into action

As a classroom assistant working in special education at an alternative school, I look forward to collaborating with my supervisors and and other classroom assistants who have also read this book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great advice, for any parent. A must read!

I've often thought Plan A the imposing if an adults will on a child isn't the best approach. My third foray into parenting needs some adjustments and adaptations, because this third child is explosive.

I wish I'd had this knowledge before having my first, non explosive child three decades ago.

The explosive child

Wow an amazing look at bring up kids in a different way much more collaborative way

If you have tried everything and don't know what else to try...... Read this book

Improves communication and support with kids whom are hard work
Good luck this book and the method it teaches you will improve your families life

Gods gift! The relief it provides is astounding

For me, this was a rollercoaster of emotions because I have a child who the audio describes to a T and I'm also the parent with the typical replies as described, the feeling of guilt I felt to the relief to find a very functional plan which could help my family a LOT was overwhelming but I cannot wait to put my plan (or 3) into action!!!

A must for parents and schools

Inspirational, positive and sympathetic. Realistic and attainable advice by a well known tried and trusted expert. I love this book.

Wonder what I'm missing

As this is abridged I wonder what detail from the book we are missing. Is this enough to do what we need? It's a cheap audible title as it was q copy of the cd, do designed for two CDs clearly.

As for content it's okay but nothing radicle other similar tiles haven't covered.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Explosive child

Difficult to listen too may be better in a different format ie video

Interesting concept and useful ideas .

0 of 3 people found this review helpful