After 2 congenial ("easy") children, our third was ruling our lives! My husband and I were at our wits end and read every parenting book about difficult kids around. This book was one of the first I found that hit the nail on the head! I realized that my son was more intense than I will ever be - in several areas at once. Kurcinka gives hope to the parents out there who aren't sure they will make it through the turbulence of raising this kind of child. For one thing, we see that we are not alone and that our struggles are in fact different than many parents around us. She outlines some strategies that will give parents some tools to work with before, during and after the tantrums and rages we face. I realized my son was not simply disobedient and stubborn. Once I realize he was "more" everything, it helped me cope and counteract some of his strong tendencies. It also helped us help him understand himself. I hadn't seen how hard this temperament was for my son. This book helped us go the distance with a child who did not fit into our even tempered family. I am happy and thankful to report, he is thriving and learning to control his intensity. Not everything in this book fits our situation or our parenting style, but it was a huge support to us and we learned a lot.