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Raising Human Beings: Creating a Collaborative Partnership with Your Child

Ross W. Greene

4.16 · Rating details · 1,026 ratings · 135 reviews

In Raising Human Beings, the renowned child psychologist and New York Times bestselling author of Lost at School and The Explosive Child explains how to cultivate a better parent-child relationship while also nurturing empathy, honesty, resilience, and independence.

Parents have an important task: figure out who their child is—his or her skills, preferences, beliefs, values ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published August 9th 2016 by Scribner

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May 10, 2016 Bam cooks the books ;-) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-netgalley, 2016-aty-reading-challenge, non-fiction, 2016-reading-challenge, parenting-grandparenting

#2106-aty-reading challenge--week-19: a non-fiction book.

I thought this was an excellent book on parenting skills--resolving problems with collaboration and teaching empathy and appreciation for another's point of view. Oh, if these skills could only be applied to the world at large, most especially the political arena!

Dr Greene lays out a three-step program for problem-solving in a collaborative partnership with your child, gives several examples, answers questions and gives advice about overc ...more

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Sep 01, 2020 Peter Topside rated it really liked it

I felt this was a very interesting read. There is no parent who couldn't benefit from reading this. The sample dialogue between parent and child was really helpful, as it gave you a good idea of how to use the information in a realistic setting. The progression of the book was easy to follow, even if I had to flip to prior chapters a few times. ...more

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Aug 23, 2016 Miriam Downey rated it really liked it

Read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...

At a family picnic the other day, my granddaughter (age 5) was having a hard time focusing on eating her dinner. There was a lot of food on her plate, and she had touched none of it. My daughter said to her, "I think that you have two options here: one option is to just sit here staring at your plate until the picnic is over. The other option is to come up with a solution with me about how much you need to eat and then eat that a Read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...

At a family picnic the other day, my granddaughter (age 5) was having a hard time focusing on eating her dinner. There was a lot of food on her plate, and she had touched none of it. My daughter said to her, "I think that you have two options here: one option is to just sit here staring at your plate until the picnic is over. The other option is to come up with a solution with me about how much you need to eat and then eat that amount so that you can go and play." My granddaughter decided that the second option was the best. She said that she was worried that there was too much food on her plate. She and her mother figured out the amount she needed to eat; she ate quickly; and then got up to go play with her cousins. One of her aunts watched the entire exchange and remarked, "Gee, I wish I had known that strategy 10 years ago when I needed it."

In his excellent book, Raising Human Beings, Dr. Ross Greene has created a plan to encourage collaborative partnerships between parents and children that can help to resolve the many scenarios that parents and children have to negotiate on the pathway to adulthood. The goal, of course, is for parents to help their children develop skills to become independent without becoming adversarial.

To go back to my granddaughter's food situation. Dr. Greene suggests three sets of options, One option is Plan A, the plan in which the parents are in control. "You are going to sit there until you finish that food." Plan B is the plan my daughter chose. It takes into account the child's problem and together they seek to find a solution. Plan B actively uses three steps (empathy, define adult concerns, and invitation) to establish understanding and work in partnership to come up with solutions that address every party’s concerns.

Dr. Greene also offers Plan C in which the parent defers to the child's skills, beliefs, values, preferences, personality traits and goals. An example of this would be another granddaughter's decision not to play soccer anymore and to try out for the cheerleading squad, instead. Still athletic but more social. Her parents deferred to her decision-making skills, even though her father was disappointed because soccer had been an interest that they shared.

Raising Human Beings has a child rearing plan that goes way beyond the "Because I said so!" form of decision making to a much more collaborative and affirming style of parenting. Ultimately the child becomes a far more confident decision maker—ready and able to become independent. The reviewer in Publisher's Weekly concludes: "This book is a game-changer for parents, teachers, and other caregivers of children. Its advice is reasonable and empathetic, and readers will feel ready to start creating a better relationship with the children in their lives."
...more

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Apr 04, 2020 Jenna Anderson added it

Shelves: parenting-and-homeschooling

So, this book basically describes three different ways to solve problems with your kids. Plan A: Impose. Plan B: Listen and find solutions that address their needs and yours. Plan C: Adjust your expectations (and maybe ignore your own needs).

It was clearly written under the pretense that EVERYONE gravitates toward Plan A. Personally, I doubt the folks that really do that would ever pick up a book about “creating collaborative partnerships with your kids.” But most of the book was spent trying t ...more

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Jul 26, 2016 Margo Kelly rated it really liked it

I highly recommend this book. It would make a great gift for parents with children of any age – but the younger the better. It’s easier to instill a sound pattern of parenting when the kids are young; although, this book does offer excellent examples of changing parental styles even when the kids are teenagers.

Over the years, I’ve read quite a few parenting books, and one of the things I’ve learned is: you do not have to agree with every single bit of advice offered within the pages. Take what w I highly recommend this book. It would make a great gift for parents with children of any age – but the younger the better. It’s easier to instill a sound pattern of parenting when the kids are young; although, this book does offer excellent examples of changing parental styles even when the kids are teenagers.

Over the years, I’ve read quite a few parenting books, and one of the things I’ve learned is: you do not have to agree with every single bit of advice offered within the pages. Take what works for you and apply it to your situation.

Ross W. Greene, PhD, has taken experiences from his twenty-five years of being a clinical psychologist and organized his advice in a very easy-to-read format. Instead of compiling pages and pages of never-ending advice and examples all in the same font and line spacing, the author (and editor and publisher, I assume) diversified the text. There are paragraphs where straight information is delivered, there are case studies presented in stories, there are Q&A sections, and there are plenty of subtitles to help keep you engaged with the book. While most of the writing is excellent, Greene does like to start sentences with the word “but” and he loves his creative dialogue tags such as hissed, mumbled, grumbled, and protested. None of which actually took away from the overall content, but it was distracting to me.

While I loved and agreed with much of Greene’s advice, I will tell you that I let my babies cry themselves to sleep in their cribs. After reading this book, if I had to do all over again, I would still let my babies cry themselves to sleep. And yet, I am certainly one to advocate parents considering alternatives to figure out what works best for them.

Greene’s straight-forward method of “Creating a Collaborative Partnership with Your Child” is one that will foster kinder human beings who are able to problem solve with empathy not only while growing up but also as adults.

Some of my favorite ideas and lines from the book:

“Identity achievement refers to a person who has both undergone the identity exploration process and has also developed a well-defined self-concept and identity. She know who she is, what she believes, and where she’s going” (page 24).

“What’s best for him is likely to involve more ‘listening’ than ‘lessoning’” (page 35).

“Your child would prefer to be doing well” (page 39).

“But there’s another reason solving problems collaboratively is hard: many adults haven’t had much practice at it, having been raised by parents who were probably highly skilled at demanding and insisting” (page 81).

“I’ve worked with three-year-olds who had an easier time participating verbally than some seventeen-year-olds” (page 190).

“We live in the information age, and we are saturated with demands for empathy … sadly, that fatigue sometimes causes us to respond with less compassion and empathy in our interactions with our children…” (page 240).
...more

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Mar 25, 2017 Joanna rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It's like this book was written for me! At first I thought he was making it sound too easy and kept asking myself "How am I ever going to do this?" In the heat of the moment it's so easy to count to 5 or threaten "no cartoons!" Or "I'll take your legos away" Or beg and plead to get out of the house on time. None of those approaches solves the problem in a way that's mutually satisfactory. The author is clear that collaborative parenting is NOT living in "Pushover Provinces" just because it's not It's like this book was written for me! At first I thought he was making it sound too easy and kept asking myself "How am I ever going to do this?" In the heat of the moment it's so easy to count to 5 or threaten "no cartoons!" Or "I'll take your legos away" Or beg and plead to get out of the house on time. None of those approaches solves the problem in a way that's mutually satisfactory. The author is clear that collaborative parenting is NOT living in "Pushover Provinces" just because it's not the "Dictatorial Kingdom." It's about communicating with your child, figuring out the cause of a problem from their perspective, allowing them to come up with a solution, and discussing what you think based on your experience and wisdom of being the adult. It's important to try something that meets your values and expectations and is still responsive to who the kid is and wants to be. It takes practice and the first attempt at solving the problem often doesn't work and you have to keep working on it. I liked the emphasis on figuring out the major unsolved problems you see, checking in with your kid, and talking about them at a time when you both are relaxed and focused, not pressed to leave the house or distracted. How does it work? There are three approaches the author discussed:

Plan A: Our common default as parents, directive and punitive, solving problems for our kids. Author argues we need to steer away from Plan A.
Plan B: The collaborative approach using empathy, appreciating how one's actions are affecting others, resolving disagreements in ways that do not cause conflict, taking another's perspective, and being honest.
Plan C: defer unsolved problem until kid is ready developmentally or until kid has tried to solve on her own. Plan C is usually arrived at after talking to your kid.

I found his discussion about teachers' role to play: Academia still heavily relies on high stakes testing, unattainable expectations and punitive reactions instead of collaborative problem solving. We would do well to all work together with educators.

He also has a chapter on "parental angst" on why we tend to use Plan A: we care a whole lot about our kids and want them to be safe and succeed. That was the chapter that made it seem more doable.

Bottom line: Parent in a way that fosters the better side of our human nature. He states at the end: "The real world needs more human beings." Truth. ...more

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Jul 15, 2017 Chris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adult, not-graphic, nonfiction

As I ponder what to say about this book, I'm reminded of two quotes I like from another, Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone:

People almost never change without first feeling understood.

The single most important thing [you can do] is to shift [your] internal stance from "I understand" to "Help me understand." Everything else follows from that.

Though stated differently, those ideas lie at the core of the parenting approach Greene describes in this book. Parents can best help their children le ...more

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Jul 22, 2019 Tina Grove rated it liked it

Not as great as I expected it to be. Some solid tips but maybe not the right book for the age of my child right now. I felt the footprints on the cover alluded that it was appropriate for younger children. All the examples are more for kids 8-16 or so. There's about a paragraph or so specifically for toddlers and how to adjust the approach for toddlers but honestly the example they gave was for potty training and not very helpful in my opinion. I will try to read again when my son gets older if ...more

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May 26, 2019 Thomas Edmund rated it it was amazing

There are a lot of parenting books out there, talking about punishment, reinforcement, positive parenting etc etc but I think that Raising Human Beings captures the crux of the matter, explaining the difference between working 'on' or trying to control your child versus working 'together.'

I know that such things can sound very airy fairy to some, but its an incredible valuable perspective that the author does a brilliant job explaining. The book certainly helped me as a parent. ...more

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Jun 06, 2016 Laura added it

Shelves: non-fiction

I liked the style of writing Dr. Greene has. He presents information and the reasons for his suggestions, he gives real-life dialogue and scenarios, and he also includes a sort of FAQ about each chapter's topics. I like that he addresses each concept with this detailed attention to suit many different styles of learning. I found myself drawn to the real-life situations and narratives and admiring how each situation unfolded rather than the question and answer portion (which I found more critical ...more

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Jan 04, 2018 Daniel Lee rated it did not like it

Laughably bad. I finished the book so I will save you from wasting your time with this summary.

Kids do well if they can. If they can’t, use a chirpy voice and ask them “what’s up?”

Example:

“Hey I noticed you’re having trouble doing homework after school. What’s up?”

At this point your child will open up to you because they realize how much you care about them and their concerns. You will both come to a mutually agreeable answer without sweeping unilateral solutions that make kids angry. Because ...more

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Feb 28, 2020 Vernice rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, non-fiction, 2020, aty-2020

Actually a pretty good listen. A LOT of repetition, but I guess that's necessary to drive a point home. He suggests a very interesting way of dealing with kids that I'd be interested to try out, though I do think he has unrealistic views on small children's ability to communicate... but still... coming from an abusive household this seems to be a method that I'd like to try as an alternative to what I experienced... maybe spare my son the trauma 🤣 ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Cat rated it really liked it

This book expands upon the principles for parent-child dialogue and problem-solving laid out in The Explosive Child. I find the sequence Greene proposes very helpful: showing empathy and acting listening, eliciting the child's perspective on a given difficulty, repeating back what the child suggests and asking for more information until you feel like you've gotten a complete picture; articulating the parent's concerns about the problem; asking for the child's thoughts on a realistic solution tha This book expands upon the principles for parent-child dialogue and problem-solving laid out in The Explosive Child. I find the sequence Greene proposes very helpful: showing empathy and acting listening, eliciting the child's perspective on a given difficulty, repeating back what the child suggests and asking for more information until you feel like you've gotten a complete picture; articulating the parent's concerns about the problem; asking for the child's thoughts on a realistic solution that would address both her concerns and the parent in a satisfactory way; and coming to a collaborative solution. (I type this out and realize I must be dropping a step because he says it's five steps, but this is the gist.) His model dialogues flesh these out, as well as missteps it is easy to take (like proposing a solution yourself in the listing your concerns step).

In this installment, Greene indicates that this model of household decision-making and problem-solving is just as helpful for children without behavioral problems as it is for the more challenging children he addresses in the first book. Some of the elements of The Explosive Child (oh, I hate that title!) that were very helpful for me (articulating ways that children get stuck or struggle with meeting expectations) are not as central to this installment. And Greene makes some generalizations about why this collaborative, empathetic approach is useful for the demands of the contemporary marketplace and the development of character that feel both vaguely true (what generalization isn't?) and slightly hokey (anytime you wander into the "citing David Brooks" territory, my skepticism alarm bells start going off).

That being said, Greene's philosophy is helpful and clear, and I have found even in my minor inaugural applications of it that it pays great dividends. Children want to be heard, and we too often dismiss (or think we already know) their concerns, which are both pressing and real. It's funny to think that one of the major implications of Greene's work is that adults ask children to be good listeners who consider other people's feelings and problem solve with their peers, while we continue to disregard their words, feelings, and ideas. It is easier, Greene contends and I agree, to take the time to listen and take their perspectives and concerns into account. Also, when they get the chance to think through solutions to the problem at hand, they are honing internal regulation and external collaboration skills they will use in their adult lives. Greene does a great job in this installment thinking through the lasting effects that such open communication can have on parent-child relationships beyond the childhood years. ...more

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May 12, 2019 Jay Hennessey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: parenting

Parenting = Leadership = Coaching

I really enjoyed this book - I did the Kindle/Audio combo and was really glad that I did. There were so many sections that I wanted to go back and re-read / highlight.

I have several top of mind take aways. First, was how the author discussed what parents want for their children - to help them on their journey to self-actualization or figuring out who they really are - what are their skills, beliefs, values, etc. (This reminded me of the Alchemist, by Paulo Cholh ...more

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Sep 06, 2020 Preeti Yeung rated it liked it

This book certainly challenged my thinking on how I approach problem solving with my children instead of for them. I've applied this a couple of times with my four year old and he is very eager to be a part of the process.

I do however feel that this is written through a very western lens, and growing up as a daughter of immigrants (Asian descent), I found many examples and passages unrelatable.

At times I felt as if I would rate this book a 5, then a 1, then a 4, etc...which I think shows the st ...more

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Sep 26, 2020 Kari rated it liked it

So with the major criticism of the emotionally and physically abusive relationship that is repeatedly used as an example throughout the book (I honestly couldn't believe the 'resolution' at the end of the book wasn't that the mom and kid left the abusive boyfriend and instead the boyfriend has a magical 180 and is all into the empathic process), along with other irritating things other reviewers have mentioned, I did like the breakdown of the the empathic, collaborative problem-solving, and I th ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Steph rated it really liked it

Really liked the ideas in this book.

- Kids do well if they can. And they would prefer to do well.

- Deal with incompatibilities not the behavior. What skills are they lacking? Lacking proper motivation is not the cause.

- Control vs influence, power vs collaboration

- “I’ve noticed that [unsolved problem], what’s up?” With reflective listening. Then define adult concerns then collaborative problem solving

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Feb 12, 2020 Chris Fernandes rated it it was amazing

Clearly written. Applicable advice. A very solid approach to changing behavior and solving problems.

I have a master's degree in clinical psychology with behaviorial training. It was a difficult transition for me to go from behaviorism to collaborative and proactive solutions but I'm glad that I did.

This approach truly is effective. ...more

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Jun 06, 2020 Jenny rated it really liked it

Has some good tips for discussing issues with your child, and they could work with anyone you need to discuss things with. I'm not a fan of the "Plan A, Plan B,..." wording however - I wish authors would just say what they're talking about rather than using coded lingo (hello "The Happiest Toddler on the Block"). ...more

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Jul 17, 2019 Alexander Morozov rated it it was amazing

Shelves: parenting

Book is short and easy to listen. I liked because it provides concrete recipes and examples of using them over and over. Author's knowledge of parent's minds is just uncanny, it felt like he is reading my mind and provides ways to resolve whatever objections I have.
I already tried some of the stuff with my child and it works and it's easier than chaotic parenting I did before.
I'm going to buy paper version because of "technical" chapter which has a lot of things I just not able to remember. ...more

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Jan 13, 2020 Ashley rated it really liked it

One of the best parenting books I’ve read. Although the “scenarios” were a little hokey, and there’s an over reliance on jargon, Greene’s clear, everyday language made it easy to understand his method and its benefits.

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Feb 16, 2019 Sarah Stewart Holland rated it it was amazing

Absolutely brilliant! A guide not only to solving conflict with your child but out in the world at large!

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Feb 19, 2021 Julie rated it really liked it

Read this before. Still good. Works well with neuro typical people.

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Apr 02, 2020 Erin Acheson rated it it was amazing

This was a great time to pick up another Dr Greene book. This is important work and I have plenty of time to practice now.

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Jun 20, 2016 Sarah rated it really liked it

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.

I usually don't read expository nonfiction like this. The title caught my eye, and I thought that reading it might give me some insight into parenting as well as teaching. I was not disappointed, and I'm glad I read this book. I think this will be a book that I will recommend to parents who seriously seek to build better relationships with their kids.

For me, a lot of this book was a welcome affirmation for my style of parenting and teaching. When I fi I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.

I usually don't read expository nonfiction like this. The title caught my eye, and I thought that reading it might give me some insight into parenting as well as teaching. I was not disappointed, and I'm glad I read this book. I think this will be a book that I will recommend to parents who seriously seek to build better relationships with their kids.

For me, a lot of this book was a welcome affirmation for my style of parenting and teaching. When I first started teaching, I would hear teachers referred to as someone who "runs a tight ship," and I thought that's what I wanted for myself. I eventually realized that running a tight ship is not the way I want to interact with other humans, and this book helped me see why I felt this way.

One of the "big ideas" of this book is that parents should respond to their children's unique personalities instead of forcing children to conform to adults' ideals. When children don't meet our expectations, it isn't because they don't want to, but because something is standing in their way. Instead of punishing children for not meeting an expectation, we should have a discussion with them to find out what the obstacle is and to allow them to think about possible solutions on their own. Children should feel heard and valued, and we as adults can do this through inviting them into discussions about our concerns. Greene writes, "There's no doubt that certain aspects of The Real World are about power and control. Certain workplaces are run that way, the legal system tends to work that way, certain countries work that way too, and there's no denying that your child is going to need to know how to handle things when life swings in that direction. But you probably don't want to use autocracies or adversarial systems as your models for good parenting" (location 3487).

My favorite parts had to do with how to communicate with very small children, as my children are very small. I loved Greene's treatment of tantrums. Tantrums are so extremely embarrassing and frustrating. He writes, "Regrettably, tantrums have given a bad name--the terrible twos--to this exciting time in a child's development" (location 276). I loved the way Greene helped me reframe my thinking around toddlerhood as an "exciting time in...development" instead of the nightmare it sometimes feels like. "Tantrums," Greene writes, "are simply a signal that there's incompatibility, not a sign that your child is challenging your desire to have influence. Tantrums let you know that your child needs some help sorting things through and that it's time to get the ball rolling on teaching and modeling some important developmental skills such as delay of gratification, expressing concerns in an adaptive manner, taking into account the concerns and needs of other people, frustration tolerance, flexibility, and problem solving. Tantrums are not an indication that your child needs massive doses of Who's the Boss. If you play your cards right, the terrible twos can be a time of tremendous growth, learning, and exploration" (location 283).

The book largely explains a procedure that parents can use when discussing concerns with their children. Greene illustrates his ideas with engaging vignettes that serve as examples for how his technique can work. I found the vignettes to be extremely helpful in understanding a variety of ways that children may not meet expectations and how their parents can help them work through it with the same procedure. It was a little weird that Greene called the authoritarian approach "Plan A" and the collaborative approach "Plan B," because to most people, "Plan B" is a term used when the original plan didn't work out, and that's really not what he's saying at all. I wish that Greene had come up with another term that didn't have a rather opposite meaning already. I also liked, though, the idea of "Plan C," which is putting off a problem for another time!

As I read, I thought about ways that I have followed Greene's procedure in my classroom without even knowing it. Now that I have this book to look back on, I feel that I can strengthen my "collaborative partnerships" with my students in a more purposeful manner. Greene got me completely on his side when he wrote, "Thankfully, many educators recognize middle school as probably the toughest time of kids' development and play a more compassionate, helpful role" (location 2853). Why, yes, thank you, I try!

...more

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Apr 12, 2020 Jodi Watson rated it really liked it

In our every changing world of parenting, any techniques that you can have in your back pocket is helpful. I gleaned several things from this book - especially since every kid has a unique personality and we seem to get more and more complex in our everyday dealings with life, school, peers, technology. Life is not as simple as it once feels like it was.

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May 30, 2019 David Shepherd rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-growth

*Pre-Reading Notes*
I’m reading this book because I want to improve my skills as a parent so that I can help my kids reach their full potential so they can have an exponential positive impact on the world.

*Post-Reading Summary*
Summed up in three sentences or less, the wisdom of this book is this: The old way of training your kids is in-fact, the old way -- the new way that is much more effective and fosters the best characteristics of humanity in your kids is collaborative problem solving: Plan ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Emmy Nota rated it it was amazing

Excellent read and great way of raising your children.
The whole book is centered around one particular (great!) idea, so it does repeat itself several times.
However, the idea is so sound that I didn't really mind that much. It has completely changed my idea of raising the kids and for that I owe mr. Greene 5 stars.
...more

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Aug 05, 2016 Sarah Poling rated it it was amazing

Shelves: launch, kids-from-hard-place

This may just be my favorite Ross Greene book! Not only does he give parents the much needed perspective we need on a daily basis to choose wisely how we encourage, motivate, and raise kids we want to live with. He stops and explains how to think about meeting your child's needs, he has LOTS of practical examples and tips on collaboratively working together to develop skills like empathy.. honesty, cooperation, seeing other people's perspective, ... He really is thinking about the world we live This may just be my favorite Ross Greene book! Not only does he give parents the much needed perspective we need on a daily basis to choose wisely how we encourage, motivate, and raise kids we want to live with. He stops and explains how to think about meeting your child's needs, he has LOTS of practical examples and tips on collaboratively working together to develop skills like empathy.. honesty, cooperation, seeing other people's perspective, ... He really is thinking about the world we live in and the important life skills we need to be well suited for life. And he builds on my favorite mantra he has given me: "Kids do well if they can, and that doing well is preferable." Kids who aren't doing well lack skills. and as parents we have the best opportunity to build those skills.

This book is approachable and easy to read, his stories and narratives help any parent grasp that all children need to be heard, loved, and assisted in gaining new skills rather than corrected and chastised for their behaviors. Each chapter has a plan or perspective, narratives that model that plan, and then a review and Q & A to help deeper understanding (and review some hang ups we might have as we hear new ways of thinking).

It's really about how we as adults process and share our expectations with those around us, and help encourage the skills to function together. I used some strategies and thoughts from this book, and explained that I had read about this way of thinking to my 8 year old, and he said- Mom keep reading that book it helped us!

For me a control seeking individual this quote really resonated, "Perhaps most important, I learned that showing that I cared wasn't necessarily best expressed by taking control or overdoing it on an intervention." Then he gave tell tale signs that your anxiety is over the top like: "if you find yourself overcorrecting, overdirecting, overcoaching, and overcritizing so that things will turn out just so"

It's a wonderful resource, that share examples from different developmental stages (infant, toddler, kindergartener, ... to college and beyond). It will help you step aside and gain the perspective and strategies you need to parent with a growth mindset and to build skills in your children's lives.

I received an advanced copy of this book and consider it a blessing to read it before I could buy it. It's helped me this summer be a better parent. All ideas are my own. ...more

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Nov 07, 2018 Jared rated it really liked it

Shelves: parenting, self-improvement

I just recently read Raising Human Beings again, and it's so good. A lot of parenting books really struggle with giving you a real, definitive road map, because parents and children are all so different, and the authors seem to get bogged down in the philosophy and psychology, to the point where they never actually tell you what to *do* about what they're telling you. But this one is very practical, with a specific plan. It's not as concise and efficient as Atomic Habits, but it does a lot of wh ...more

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About Ross W. Greene

Ross W. Greene

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Dr. Ross Greene is the New York Times bestselling author of the influential books The Explosive Child, Lost at School, Raising Human Beings, and Lost & Found. He is the originator of the innovative, evidence-based treatment approach called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) described in these books. The CPS model provides a compassionate, accurate understanding of behavioral challenges and ...more

Books by Ross W. Greene

Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them

Lost and Found: Helping Behaviorally Challenging Students (And, While You're at It, All the Others)

Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach

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You’re Not Alone! 17 Parent-Recommended Books to Help With Common Challenges

"Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do." -Benjamin Spock Calling all parents who have ever found themselves wondering:...

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“On the other hand, there are those who aren’t quite convinced that the good old days were as marvelous as advertised. They’ve come to realize that might and right don’t overlap seamlessly, and that father didn’t always know best. They now recognize that the rod was an unnecessary and even counterproductive teaching tool, that thrashings were a pretty extreme way to make a point, and that there’s more to raising a kid than carrots and sticks. They believe that allowing children to have a voice in their own affairs might actually be good preparation for The Real World.” — 0 likes

“Throughout your child’s development, there is a continuous interplay between her characteristics and your and the world’s demands and expectations. The bar is continuously raised; the demands and expectations become more intense and complex as your child grows. And your child’s characteristics evolve over time as well. Most kids are able to meet most of the expectations that are placed upon them most of the time. But every kid struggles to meet expectations sometimes, some more than others. In other words, there are times when there is incompatibility between your child’s characteristics and the demands and expectations that are being placed upon her.” — 0 likes

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Raising Human Beings: Creating a Collaborative Partnership with Your Child

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Trivia About Raising Human Bei...

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See a Problem?

Preview — Raising Human Beings by Ross W. Greene

Raising Human Beings: Creating a Collaborative Partnership with Your Child

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Ross W. Greene

Books by Ross W. Greene

Related Articles

Trivia About Raising Human Bei...

Quotes from Raising Human Bei...

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Discuss This Book