Book excerpt: Effective Parenting for the Hard-to-Manage Child is a skills-based book for parents who need practical advice from experts, without all the jargon and generalizations. The book provides specific strategies and techniques for children who are intense, highly reactive, and unable to self-calm. It integrates various treatment approaches in a clear and accessible manner, and offers the "best kept secrets" from the fields of mental health and occupational therapy. The book emphasizes key concepts and everyday activities that will help children take charge of their problems, and it is an invaluable resource for any parent faced with the challenge of a hard-to-manage child.