At some time or another, every parent has to face periods of particularly active opposition which correspond to the major stages in their child’s development and desire for independence, so it is best to be prepared for them and to act accordingly. So it is better to step in as effectively and as soon as possible. Scientific research and clinical practice have shown that when such feelings of opposition are poorly addressed, they take over and ultimately degenerate into a situation of constant conflict. So it is best to step in as effectively and as soon as possible.

This book gives parents specialised information that should help them to address the specific problem of their child while taking into account each child’s age and personality. It provides the tools that will enable parents to understand and address problems as they arise, as if they were specialists. It offers a wealth of material including accessible, well-adapted information that is as simply and directly presented as if the reader were in consultation with a specialist; detailed descriptions of the types of treatment that a doctor specialising in behavioural conflict could prescribe; numerous case studies of patients who have consulted specialists because they were having problems with their children; and, finally, the answers to patients’ most frequently asked questions. The goal is to show parents how to actively take charge of the problem that is affecting their relationship with their child, without pinning all their hopes on professional help.

Gisèle George specialises in cognitive and behavioural therapies. She is a child psychiatrist at the Hôpital Bichat, in Paris.