In a profound reframe, Greene reveals that most 'safety issues' with explosive children aren't inherent to the child but are triggered by adults using Plan A (imposing their will). He states: 'since a high percentage of challenging episodes are precipitated by an adult using Plan A, using Plan B instead of Plan A should make a major dent in the frequency of safety issues.' This shifts responsibility from the child's 'dangerous behavior' to the adult's approach. When parents worry about safety, they often become more controlling, which paradoxically creates the very explosions they're trying to prevent. The insight here is revolutionary: collaborative problem-solving doesn't compromise safety—it enhances it by preventing the power struggles that lead to unsafe situations. This transforms safety from a justification for control into another problem to be solved collaboratively. | Ross W Greene PhD | The Explosive Child

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Safety Issues Are Actually Plan A Issues

In a profound reframe, Greene reveals that most 'safety issues' with explosive children aren't inherent to the child but are triggered by adults using Plan A (imposing their will). He states: 'since a high percentage of challenging episodes are precipitated by an adult using Plan A, using Plan B instead of Plan A should make a major dent in the frequency of safety issues.' This shifts responsibility from the child's 'dangerous behavior' to the adult's approach. When parents worry about safety, they often become more controlling, which paradoxically creates the very explosions they're trying to prevent. The insight here is revolutionary: collaborative problem-solving doesn't compromise safety—it enhances it by preventing the power struggles that lead to unsafe situations. This transforms safety from a justification for control into another problem to be solved collaboratively.

-- Ross W Greene PhD