I recently read The Explosive Child, written by Dr. Ross W. Greene. I found this book extremely informative and could identify with its contents on both a professional and personal level. In The Explosive Child Greene discusses “a new approach to understanding and raising easily frustrated and chronically inflexible children” that he calls “inflexible-explosive.” An inflexible-explosive child “is one who often displays severe noncompliance, temper tantrums, and physical verbal aggression.” (Greene, 2001) I think The Explosive Child is a great resource for parents and professionals because it provides useful tools to help teach parents how to respond appropriately when their inflexible-explosive child has a breakdown. I liked how Greene demonstrated different techniques for working with a child with behavioral difficulties. In the chapter titled The Truth About Consequences, Greene explains how consequences don't work with an inflexible-explosive child because "if a child becomes cognitively debilitated in the midst of frustration, he or she may have enormous difficulty remembering or fully appreciating what he or she has experienced." I didn't like the consequences applied last time.” (Greene, 2001) Instead of "encouraging people to engage in their own rescue," Greene wants parents to be the "lifeguards" and assist the child "in some of the things he's really struggling with." (Greene, 2001) I hadn't thought about this interpretation before this. I had always assumed that the child needed consequences for his actions and that those consequences would eventually help correct the behavior. Now I understand that if a child doesn't understand the end result or can't metacognite what's in the middle of the paper. It really made me analyze how I react to a child acting out. The tips Greene gives parents to apply in their family will work for every child. When something works for everyone and can be relevant to everyone, then it should be considered valuable. Instead of telling parents to punish their children and give consequences, it gives parents the tools to teach their children how to learn to process and react correctly. It lets parents know that it is not an easy process and may even mean a change in the way they communicate and react. The Explosive Child is a must-read for any parent or teacher. Works Cited Bryant, D.P., Smith, D.D., & Bryant, B.R. (2008). Teaching students with special needs in inclusive classrooms. Boston: Pearson Education, INC. Greene, P. D. (2001). The explosive child. New York: First Pen.