Raising the Challenging Child: How to Minimize Meltdowns, Reduce Conflict, and Increase Cooperation - Paperback

by Karen Doyle Buckwalter (Author), Debbie Reed (Author), Wendy Lyons Sunshine (Author)

What's the worst you've ever faced as a parent? An all-out tantrum at the mall? A son who won't take out his earbuds to listen to you? A daughter who's failing at school and won't do her homework? A teen who constantly breaks curfew? A call from the police? Whatever you're dealing with, Raising the Challenging Child will help.

Building on their work at Chaddock, a nonprofit organization that has worked with some of the most challenging kids in the nation for more than 150 years, the authors empower frustrated parents with practical tips and real-life examples on how to

- minimize behavioral meltdowns
- reduce conflict
- increase cooperation
- promote healthy attachment
- improve family relationships

The strategies they share work both for the child who is going through a difficult phase brought on by life disruption or trauma, and for the child who faces chronic struggles. Parents, teachers, and those who work with children and youth will find positive, practical steps they can start taking today in order to understand and address the baffling behavior of the child under their care.

Front Jacket

Karen Doyle Buckwalter, MSW, LCSW, is director of program strategy at Chaddock in Quincy, Illinois. She serves on the board of directors' advisory board of the Theraplay(R) Institute in Chicago and has trained and consulted at family behavioral health organizations and youth foster care centers in the US, the UK, Australia, Denmark, and beyond. In addition to her degrees, Karen completed a two-year marriage and family therapy training program and 500-plus hours in diverse modalities, including Theraplay, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) (R), and other attachment, trauma, and developmental approaches. Karen also hosts a weekly podcast, Attachment Theory in Action.

Debbie Reed is president and CEO of Chaddock. Currently engaged in doctoral studies, she has also played a leadership role in child- and family-serving organizations at the state and national levels, including the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' Child Welfare Advisory Committee, the CEO council of the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, and the national board of the United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries. In addition, she trains and consults with organizations on topics related to nonprofit leadership. Debbie also writes a weekly leadership blog, Reed About Leadership.

Wendy Lyons Sunshine is an award-winning writer and journalist. She is coauthor of The Connected Child.

Back Jacket

In my many years of clinical practice, I was always hesitant to recommend a parenting guide. Raising the Challenging Child would have been a striking exception. Oh, how I wish it had been available to me--and to the families with whom I worked.-- Michael Trout, author of This Hallowed Ground: Four Decades in Infant Mental Health

"This book will be welcomed by all parents who struggle to connect with, support, and guide their children through the challenging moments and who hope to create a warm and understanding relationship with their children."--Phyllis Booth, MA, LMFT, LCPC, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor

"While the tips and tools offered in Raising the Challenging Child are based on the latest brain research and evidence-based practices, the authors translate the theory with real-life examples. Parents will love the practical and proven 'If you've tried this . . . do/say this instead' suggestions."--Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions and author of The "Me, Me, Me" Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World

"Raising the Challenging Child provides parents, caregivers, child advocates, and even pediatricians like myself with practical strategies to help empower children and foster healthy family dynamics."--Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA, FAAP, chair of the Department of Population Science and Policy, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Author Biography

Karen Doyle Buckwalter, MSW, LCSW, is director of program strategy at Chaddock in Quincy, Illinois. She serves on the board of directors' advisory board of the Theraplay(R) Institute in Chicago and has trained and consulted at family behavioral health organizations and youth foster care centers in the US, the UK, Australia, Denmark, and beyond. In addition to her degrees, Karen completed a two-year marriage and family therapy training program and 500-plus hours in diverse modalities including Theraplay(R), Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), and other attachment, trauma, and developmental approaches.

Debbie Reed is president and CEO of Chaddock. Currently engaged in doctoral studies, she has also played a leadership role in child- and family-serving organizations at the state and national levels, including the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' Child Welfare Advisory Committee, the CEO council of the internationally recognized Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, and the national board of the United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries. In addition, she trains and consults with organizations on topics related to nonprofit leadership.

Wendy Lyons Sunshine is an award-winning writer and coauthor of The Connected Child, with over a quarter million copies sold. She is an editorial consultant for leading nonprofits and has written for media outlets including Health, AARP magazine, Scientific American, American Way, and the New York Times.