Summary

“Children do well if they can.”

“Challenging behavior occurs

when the expectations being
placed on a kid exceed the kid’s
capacity to respond adaptively.
Some kids are lacking the skills
to handle certain demands and
expectations.”

Presented by: Kelly McGonagil

Key Terms:

Explosive Child: “one who responds to routine

problems with extreme frustration (crying,
screaming, kicking, hitting, biting, spitting,
destroying property).” 3 Ways to Solve
Lagging Skills: skills needed to handle certain Problems
demands and expectations (flexibility, adaptability,
frustration, tolerance, and problem solving). These
may be lacking in a challenging kid. Plan A: Imposition of adult will

Plan B: Collaborative problem solving

Unsolved Problems: “the specific conditions in
which challenging behavior is occurring.” Plan C: Setting an unsolved problem aside

CPS Model: Collaborative and Proactive

Solutions.

***Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved

Problems
PLAN B Steps

1. Empathy: “gather information about and

develop a clear understanding of child’s
concerns or perspective regarding the
unsolved problem.”

2. Define the Problem: “Explain your

concerns regarding the unsolved problem.”

3. Invitation: “Generate solutions that are

both realistic and mutually satisfactory.”
Additional Resources
Livesinthebalance.org → CPS Resources

→ The Paperwork

→ Educators/Schools→ Walking Tour →

Videos

→ Parents/Families→ Walking Tour

Videos

Works Cited:
Livesinsthebalance.org
https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062339799/the-explosive-
child
Green, R.W, Ph.D. 2014. The Explosive Child. Harper Collins
Publishers, N.Y.