Personal note: We found this book so compelling that we purchased ten copies to give away to Washington Reporter readers who are parents. The first ten readers who email their mailing address to Brian@WashingtonReporter.news will receive a free copy.
In “The Kids Who Aren’t Okay,” psychologist Ross W. Greene delivers a blunt assessment of the youth mental health crisis and a clear plan to address it.
Greene’s central line appears early in the book: “Kids do well if they can.” That sentence anchors his entire argument. When children struggle, he writes, adults should assume a skill gap or an unsolved problem. The job of parents and educators is to identify those and work through them with the child.
Greene builds on his Collaborative & Proactive Solutions model, laying out a structured way to approach behavioral challenges. He walks through specific scenarios like classroom disruptions, homework battles, explosive moments at home and demonstrates how collaborative conversations can defuse conflict and build skills over time. The emphasis is on diagnosing the problem accurately and engaging the child to solve it.
The book also steps back to examine broader trends. And any parent will recognize a lot of them. Greene cites rising rates of anxiety, depression, and school absenteeism as signs that current systems are not meeting kids where they are. He argues that policies centered on compliance and punishment have failed to produce better outcomes. His proposed shift focuses on belonging, problem-solving, and accountability.
As a parent, this book hit close to home. Many of the examples felt familiar. The reframing Greene offers changes how you interpret those moments. Instead of reacting, you should slow down and ask yourself what is getting in your child’s way.
For parents looking for practical guidance grounded in decades of clinical experience, this book delivers. It is clear, serious, and focused on solutions. I recommend it strongly to families trying to raise resilient kids in a complicated world.