summary of the explosive child

8/13/2019 Summary of the Explosive Child

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Summary of “The Explosive Child” by Ross W. Greene, Ph.

Chap!er " The Waffle Episode

This is a case study of a child.

Chap!er # Children o Well $f They Can

Children’s skills develop unevenly in maths, reading , physical skills.

Explosive children lag behind in acquiring skills in flexibili!y and frus!ra!ion

!oleran%e.

Explosive children do not choose to be explosive in the same way that children who

have reading and mathematical difficulties do not choose to do so.

The interpretation of the child’s explosive behaviour will be linked to how you try

and change the behaviour.

Explosive behaviour reflects a developmental delay a learning disability in the

skills of flexibility and frustration tolerance.

!n explosive outburst occurs when the cognitive demands being placed on the child

outstrip the child’s capacity to respond adaptively.

Chap!er & Pa!h'ays and Tri((ers

"eed to understand what makes it hard for the child to #do well’ keeping in mind

that children #do well if they can.’

$athways represent skills that need to be trained and are explanations and not

excuses for the behaviour.

Each pathway sets the stage for explaining specific thinking skills.

%. Executive &kills

'. (anguage $rocessing &kills

). Emotion *egulation &kills

+. Cognitive lexibility &kills

-. &ocial &kills

!lthough rewards and punishments can and may have a place, they do not train thechild in the above skills.

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Exe%u!ive S)ills

&hifting cognitive set &hifting from one mindset to another e.g. moving from one

environment recess/ to a completely different environment e.g. reading/. This

requires a shift from one mindset to another p. '- '0

*r(anisa!ion and Plannin(. Explosive children are unable to identify theproblem that frustrates them which leads them to saying #no’.

Thinking clearly and problem solving is easier if a person has capacity to separate

or detach themselves from emotions cause by the frustration.

+an(ua(e Pro%essin( S)ills

E.C. lack basic vocabulary for expressing and categorising feelings. This leads to

swearing and other inappropriate language.

(anguage enables people to solve problems

Emo!ional Re(ula!ion S)ills p.

&ome children experience irritability, agitation, crankiness and fatigued mood more

often and more intensely that others. This leads to an increase in difficulty to cope

with frustration tolerance and flexibility. This may be caused by brain chemistry.

Explosiveness can be fuelled by a chronic state of irritability and agitation. !nxiety

can be added to the list that leads to irrational thought.

Co(ni!ive -lexibili!y S)ills.

Explosive children are black and white thinkers stuck in a grey world.

! lack of cognitive flexibility skills lead to difficulties in approaching the world in a

flexible and adaptable way.

They struggle when events are not predictable. They have difficulties seeing the #big picture’.

!dults around these children need to be flexible.

So%ial S)ills

Explosive children have difficulty in attending to social cues and nuances and

connecting cues to past experiences.

1hen we think in terms of $athways being explanations, the door opens to the

process of thinking about how to help the child.

Tri((ers p /

Triggers are a situation or event that routinely precipitates explosive outbursts.

Tiggers are problems that have yet to be solved.

$athways set the stage for a child to be explosive. Triggers are situations or events

over which the child is exploding.

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Chap!er Pa!h'ays and Tri((ers brou(h! !o +ife 0 %ase s!udies1

Chap!er The !ru!h abou! %onse2uen%es

&tandard behaviour management approaches assume that the child has learned.

&tandard behaviour management may help but some find they don’t help the childto change his behaviour and can lead to an increase in explosive behaviour.

*ewards and punishments do not teach skills.

p. 22 lists % 0 of what are viewed as #good parenting skills’. These approaches

may help but may not.

$nflexibili!y 3 $nflexibili!y 4 Explosion

Conse2uen%es

teach basic lessons about what is right and wrong.

3otivate people to behave appropriately

45T the Explosive children already knows what is right and wrong and #children do

well if they can.’

Chap!er 5 Plan 6 Collabora!ive Problem Solvin( 0CPS1

!ll the adults involved with the child need to have a clear understanding of the

child’s difficulties

3ay be necessary to put your parenting teaching/ agenda on the back burner

temporarily.

6t may be necessary to reduce the demands on the child’s flexibility and frustrationtolerance.

"eed to come to terms with the fact that the child is different.

3ost explosions are predicable. Triggers and problems that have yet to be solved./

*ecommendation to keep a record of problems that cause the child to be

frustrated.

&ome triggers7 waking up, getting out of bed, getting ready for school, sensory

hypersensitivity, homework, getting ready for bed, boredom, shifting from one

activity to another, siblint interactions, being hungry, 8ust before dinner, food

choices 9 quantity, clothing choices, sudden change of plans, taking medication

Three Ways !o mana(e !he Explosive Child 7 8se Plan 9, Plan 6 or Plan C

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Plan 9 :andles a problem by imposing the adult will.

!n explosive outburst occurs when the cognitive demands being

placed upon a person, outstrip that person’s capacity to respond

adaptively

6f a $lan ! is thrown at a child who doesn’t have a $lan ! brain, youplace a cognitive demand upon the child that outstrips the child’s

capacity to respond adaptively. $. ;%

Plan C <rop the expectation for now to avoid an explosion. This doesn’t mean

you #give in’. 6t would be giving in if you started with $lan ! and then

went to $lan C. The idea of using $lan C is to be proactive and to

prevent an explosion. 6f you predict that a particular trigger will lead

to an explosion, you are being realistic and can focus on the bigger

stuff.

5sing $lan C can lead to stability. =ou might use $lan C for homework,

using good table manners, getting to school on time, swearing.

Eventually $lan 4 will be used for these.Plan 6 Collaborative $roblem &olving C$&/. This involves engaging the child

in a discussion in which the problem or unmet expectations are

resolved in a mutually satisfactory manner.

There are # 'ays !o do Plan 6

• Emer(en%y Plan 6 use as the child begins to become frustrated

• Proa%!ive Plan 6 > gets the problem solved proactively before the child

heats up. 6t is done by discussing the problem

& S!eps for doin( Plan 6

• Empathy

• <efine the $roblem

• 6nvitation

Empa!hy : keeps people calm. 6t keeps the child rational so the conversation can

take place.

!cknowledges the child’s problem&howing empathy does not lead to a loss of adult authority.

;o' !o Empa!hise

*epeat the child’s concern back using the child’s words

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Children often are not able to verbalise a concern so the adult needs to ask ?1hat’s

up@A 6f the child can’t articulate, the adult needs to take an educated guess. Beep

it simple. or Example if the child says #6 want pia’, the adult response would be

#=ou want pia, what’s up@A *eassure the child by saying ?6’m not saying you

have to do anythingA or ?6’m not saying #no’. This neither agreeing or disagreeing.

6t keeps the child calm. $. %D'.

efine !he problem

<efine your problem and the child’s problem. 6f you only define the child’s problem,

you are using $lan C.

$nvi!a!ion

• The child and the adult brainstorm the solutions to the defined problem.

?(et’s think about how we can solve the problem. <o you have any ideas@A

•

p.%D2 &omewhere between the childhood and adulthood, someone hasconcluded that the only person to come up with a good solution is an adult.

$roblem solving takes time explosions take longer. 1hilst the adult might

have something in mind, it is important not to have a predetermined solution.

• !n ingenious solution is one that is doable, realistic and mutually satisfactory.

6f the child comes up with a one sided solution, the response might be ?That’s

one idea, however the solution has to work for both of us.A

• &ome problems require more than one conversation

• The rest of this chapter gives examples

Chap!er / +earnin( Curves

Thin(s !ha! %an (o 'ron(. P "&#

• ver relying on Emergency $lan 4

• 5sing $lan 4 as a last resort

• =ou may be putting solutions on the table instead of concerns

• =ou may be entering $lan 4 discussions with preordained solutions

• =ou may be agreeing to solutions that are not realistic, doable or mutually

satisfactory

• =ou’re feeling as if you’re not very good at $lan 4 yet, so you’re still using a

lot of $lan ! instead. *emember empathy not #no’/ is the first step of $lan4.

• 3issing one of more of the three steps empathy, define the problem,

invitation.

• The child might be lacking skills crucial for participating in $lan 4.

Responses to commonly held beliefs and attitudes

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When 'ill !he %hild be held a%%oun!able for his a%!ions<

3any people believe that accountability is a code for punishment. &ome believe

that if consequences the child has received for his explosions haven’t stopped him

exploding, it must be because they didn’t cause the child enough pain. The

ma8ority of explosive kids experienced a great deal of pain. 6t is the assumption ofthis book that the child already knows what is right and wrong and is motivated.

3any explanations for the child’s behaviour are clichFs such as7

• ;e =us! 'an!s a!!en!ion : we all want attention. This cannot explain the

explosions

• ;e =us! 'an!s his o'n 'ay : we all want our own way. This does not

explain the explosions.

• ;e =us! 'an!s %on!rol : we all want control. &ame deal

• ;e 'on>! %oopera!e : if you’re talking about the true meaning of the word

cooperate ?to collaborate, to come together’ then it may be that the child

has not been given a chance to do this.• ;e>s manipula!ive : Good manipulation requires forethought, planning,

impulse control, organisational skills. Explosive kids are poor manipulators.

• ;e =us! needs !o s!ep up !o !he pla!e : this is not possible because the

child does not have the skills to do this.

6f the child is given the skills he needs so that he doesn’t explode anymore and so

he doesn’t need help anymore, he can be held accountable.

Common Con%erns and ?ues!ions and Responses p "5 7

• $eople worry that by not using $lan !, the child is not having limits set. (imit

setting means that your needs are met and the child’s needs are met. $lan 4sets limits.

• &afety 6ssues $roblems that cause children to be unsafe are not solved with

$lan !H they get solved with $lan 4. $lan ! of course is used, for example to

stop a child from running in front of a car. The adult will use physical

restraint and go into $lan 4 after.

• 6f the child is exploding, there’s a good chance that $lan ! is being used.

&T$. Go to $lan 4 if possible otherwise go to $lan C and at the next

opportunity go to $roactive $lan 4.

• $lan 4 takes too long7 5nsolved problems take more time than solved

problems. The amount of time will decrease as the skills are developed• $artner won’t do $lan 4 p %-+

• The child won’t do $lan 4 this may be because the child lacks the skills to

do $lan 4

• Child says he doesn’t care about my concerns. The child doesn’t have to

care about your concern s. =ou own them. =our concerns have to be taken

into account for a mutually satisfactory solution.

0



• *ewards for doing $lan 4 fewer explosions and getting along better will

usually be reward enough

• Time out time is often used as a punishment and can exacerbate

explosions. n the other hand, it can be productive for a child and adult to

go separate ways so that a discussion can resume after.

• 1orking with an explosive child is exhausting and requires a lot of energy

Chap!er @ Tea%h your %hild 'ell

S)ills re2uired for a %hild !o par!i%ipa!e in Plan 6

The %hild needs !o be able !oA

• articulate his concerns

• consider possible solutions and• be able to reflect on the feasibility and likely outcomes of solutions and the

degree to which they are mutually satisfactory.

Concerns

inding out #1hat’s up@’ might require questioning, and making suggestions about

possibilities.

Considering a Range of Possible Solutions

&olutions to problems encountered by human beings fall into one of three general

categories• 9s) for help

• Bee! half 'ay (ive a li!!le

• o i! a differen! 'ay.

Reflect on the Likely Outcomes of Solutions and the Degree to Which They

are Feasible and utually Satisfactory

6nitially, children may fail to follow through on an agreed upon solution. This may

be because the solution was unrealistic, or may have failed to address the child’s

concern.ther children have difficulty thinking about the likely outcomes of solutions they

consider

thers have difficulty thinking about whether the solutions under consideration are

truly realistic and address both concerns. !dult response7 6 know that solution

would make you happy but it would not make me happy. (et’s try and think of a

solution that will make us both happy.

2



Trainin( o!her s)ills 'i!h Plan 6

Language processing skills : teach the language of feelings.

!"ecuti#e Skills : planning, organisation, shifting cognitive set and separation of

affect using $roactive 4 can help with this

!motion Regulation Skills

3edication @ @

4y solving problems using $lan 4, a child’s anxiety and irritability can be reduced.

Cogniti#e Fle"ibility Skills

Empathy and *eassurance is crucial for these children because they often overreact

when faced with the realisation their rigid notions about how events should unfold

will not be fulfilled.

<efining the problem helps the child do something he’s never been good at7 taking

another person’s concerns into account.

The invitation )rd step of $lan 4/ helps the child do something he’s never been very

good at ad8usting to the idea that there might be some shades of gray and that

there is a variety of ways to solve a problem.

Social Skills

Teaching these skills takes less time than not teaching them. &ome children

automatically and inaccurately interpret their experiences and the intentions as #6t’s

not fairA, ?=ou always blame meIA, #"obody likes me,A ?6’m stupid’. These

interpretations can cause spontaneous combustion if unchallenged. &ee p %;;

'D+ for samples of discussions with a child to disconfirm the above beliefs. :elpchild to look at exceptions through questioning.

Chap!er D -amily Ba!!ers 0eeds !o be read1

Chap!er "F 6e!!er +ivin( Throu(h Chemi%als 0needs !o be read1

Chap!er "" The Plan 6 Classroom

4ecause of policies of inclusion, typical classrooms have a range of students with

both behavioural and cognitive special needs.3any schools follow $lan !

&tandard school disciplinary practices do not work for the students to whom they

are most frequently applied, and aren’t needed for the students to whom they are

never applied.

&tudents who behave well do so because they can.

There is little to be shown for detentions, suspensions and expulsions.

J



Common response !o applyin( s!andard dis%iplinary pro%edures

$We ha#e to set an e"ample%

1hen a school continues to apply interventions that don’t help a child to behave

adaptively, it gives the message that people are not sure how to help the child.

6s there a likelihood that students who aren’t explosive will become explosive if youdo not set an example@

Wha! messa(e is (iven !o !he explosive %hild if !he s!ra!e(ies !ha! are

applied are no! 'or)in(< The child becomes more alienated.

8nder 'ha! %ir%ums!an%es do 'e have !he bes! %han%e of helpin( !he %hild

!o learn and pra%!i%e be!!er 'ays of dealin( 'i!h a %hild>s inflexibili!y and

lo' frus!ra!ion !oleran%e : in s%hool or suspended from s%hool<

$mpor!an! for a s%hool !o have !he philosophy !ha! “Children do 'ell if

!hey %an”

TimeA taking time to try and fix the problem takes less time than not fixing the

problem

Expertise7 !n understanding of the three domains $athways, three $lans and the

three steps for doing $lan 4.

9 plan 6 Road Bap

!chieve a consensus on the student’s pathways and triggers.

$rioritise which problems are to be proactively solved triggers/ and which skills

need to be proactively taught pathways/

Create a community of learners by using $lan 4 with all students that is a social

curriculum which accentuates differences.

*b=e%!ions !o Plan 6 for an individual s!uden!

&' can%t ha#e different sets of rules for different kids( 'f ' let one child get

out of or get a)ay )ith something* my other students )ill )ant to as

)ell(+

Teachers have different expectations for different children. ‘Fair does not mean

equal.’ That’s why some students receive special help in reading while others are

notH some students participate in other programs. ?everyone in our classroomgets what he or she needs. If someone needs help with something, we all try to

help him or her. And everyone in our class needs something special.” 6t is no

different when a child needs help with flexibility and frustration tolerance. 6f a child

in the class challenges why an explosive classmate is receiving special

accommodations and assistance, the response can be “ veryone in our classroom

gets what she or he needs. If someone needs help with something, we all try to

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help him or her. !ecause you are very good at handling frustration, I "et you could

"e helpful to # ne$t time he gets frustrated.”

ther children will not want to become explosive. Children are good at

understanding the fair does not mean equal concept and at making exceptions for

children who need help. 6t is adults who struggle with this.

Chap!er "# o' is !he Time

This chapter recaps what has been in the other chapters.

%D

summary of the explosive child

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