“Children Do Well If They Can” is the motto of the Center for Collaborative Problem Solving, which operates to help parents and professionals work effectively with children who have social, emotional and behavioral challenges. Their approach was originally outlined in the book, The Explosive Child, by Dr. Ross Greene, who with colleague Dr. Stuart Ablon, runs the Center.
The Explosive Child is a must-read for anyone working with children who have poor social skills, challenging behavior or emotional issues.
The CPS model — which was first articulated in the book, The Explosive Child — proposes that challenging behavior should be understood and handled in the same manner as other recognized learning disabilities. In other words, difficult children and adolescents lack important cognitive skills essential to handling frustration and mastering situations requiring flexibility and adaptability.
In addition, Drs. Ablon and Greene have established the non-profit CPS Institute (www.massgeneral.org/cps/) to further spread the word about these helpful skills and approaches.