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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Explosive Child summary
Ross W. Greene
A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children
17 mins
Brief summary
The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene is a guide for parents and educators who care for children with behavioral issues. It offers a compassionate and collaborative approach to identify the underlying causes of explosive behavior and create practical solutions that promote positive long-term outcomes.
Table of Contents
The Explosive Child
Summary of 6 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 6
A Different Perspective on an Old Problem
Think back to your child’s last outburst. What happened? How did you handle it?
You’ve probably been given a lot of advice from well-meaning therapists or self-help books. Give clearer commands and refuse to back down. Pay attention to good behavior and ignore the bad. Give rewards such as stickers or toys, and punishments like timeouts or loss of privileges.
Here’s the thing about consequences: If they were going to work, they would have by now. It’s safe to say that your kid loves rewards, and hates punishment. The first thing you’re going to have to do is change your perspective on the problem. It’s not a motivation issue.
So, what’s going on? Conventional wisdom says that children do well if they want to – hence the rewards and punishment. However, a better line of thinking is children do well if they are able to.
Your child isn’t unmotivated. No, your child is lacking certain skills – skills that a lot of children and most adults are born with or learn easily enough. These are things like problem solving, flexibility, adaptability, tolerance for frustration, and the ability to regulate emotions.
When a child is expected to do something for which they simply don’t have the skills, the results can be, well, explosive. Whether it’s having to stop playing or not having the cereal they want, these unmet expectations can be a great source of frustration for children.
So they scream. They kick. They explode.
And when the kid realizes that they’re now going to lose a reward or receive a punishment for their behavior, it only adds fuel to the fire.
Children do well if they are able to. Keep this in mind when addressing your child’s behavior. Think of these lagging skills and unmet expectations as unsolved problems that you are now going to define and deal with.
Luckily, there’s a great tool for doing just that. The “Assessment of Lagging Skills & Unsolved Problems” – ALSUP for short – is a free questionnaire and checklist available online that you can use to pinpoint why your child is behaving the way they are.
In the next section, you’ll learn how to identify these lagging skills and unsolved problems, so you can start constructively addressing your child’s difficulties.
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What is The Explosive Child about?
The Explosive Child (2021) is a groundbreaking and scientific guide to dealing with children who react extremely to routine situations. Drawing on neuroscience and child psychology, Greene lays out a conceptual framework focused on the cause of the behavior, rather than the behavior itself. This framework can serve as a guide for frustrated parents who want to understand and address their child’s severe outbursts.
Who should read The Explosive Child?
- Frustrated parents who feel like they've tried it all
- Caregivers and teachers who are concerned by a child's violent outbursts
- Anyone looking for a fresh and compassionate perspective on children's problematic behavior
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