Who This Book Is Written For

The Explosive Child is written primarily for parents of children who are easily frustrated and chronically inflexible, including those whose children may have received diagnoses such as ADHD, anxiety, or mood disorders. Educators, therapists, and other professionals working with children exhibiting challenging behaviours will also find it valuable.

Greene uses case studies and sample dialogues throughout to illustrate how the CPS model can be applied in real-world situations. These examples help readers recognize patterns in their own child's behaviour and practise the collaborative approach in everyday interactions.

Key Concepts Covered in the Book

• Why some children lack the skills needed to handle frustration and inflexibility
• How to identify the specific lagging skills driving a child's explosive behaviour
• The three-step CPS process: Empathy, Define the Problem, Invitation
• How to use Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C in practice
• The role of language processing, emotional regulation, and social skills in behaviour
• How to reduce power struggles and build trust with a challenging child
• Applying the CPS model in home, school, and clinical settings

About the Author's Approach

Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., developed the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions model and has written about its application in both family and institutional settings. The Explosive Child presents his framework in accessible language, with the goal of helping caregivers move from reactive discipline to proactive, skills-based problem-solving.

The book is designed as a practical reference that readers can return to as they work through the challenges of parenting a child who struggles with inflexibility and frustration. Greene emphasizes that building these skills is a gradual process that benefits from patience and consistency over time.

The Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Model

The heart of The Explosive Child is the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) model. This approach moves away from traditional reward-and-punishment discipline and toward working with the child to identify and address the problems that trigger explosive episodes.

The CPS process involves three key steps: Empathy (understanding the child's perspective), Definition of the Problem (articulating the adult's concern), and Invitation (brainstorming mutually acceptable solutions). Greene also introduces three paths—Plan A (imposing adult will), Plan B (collaborative problem-solving), and Plan C (setting an issue aside temporarily)—to help parents and caregivers decide how to respond in the moment.

What to Expect as a Reader

Readers of The Explosive Child can expect a detailed explanation of Greene's theoretical framework alongside practical guidance for implementing the CPS model at home. The book includes illustrative case studies, scripted dialogue examples, and troubleshooting guidance for common challenges parents may encounter when first applying the approach.

Some readers may find certain concepts revisited across multiple chapters, which Greene uses to reinforce the core principles of the model. The book is structured to be accessible to readers without a clinical background while remaining substantive enough to be useful to professionals in educational and therapeutic settings.

A New Way to Understand Challenging Behaviour

The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene offers a reframing of why some children struggle with frustration and inflexibility. Rather than viewing explosive outbursts as willful defiance or manipulation, Greene's perspective centers on the idea that these children may be lacking specific cognitive skills—in areas such as flexibility, frustration tolerance, and problem-solving.

This shift in perspective is central to the book's approach: when adults understand the underlying skill deficits driving a child's behaviour, they are better positioned to respond with empathy rather than escalating conflict.