GIST: The Essence of Raising Life-Ready Kids

Gist is a powerful book that reviews and examines what the journey to adulthood entails, along with a clear look at those parenting efforts that have proven not to work over the years. “Many hours and much emotional energy are spent in parenting strategies where nothing positive is produced.”

Gist is a fascinating look at many aspects of life that wouldn’t typically be associated with parenting. But, the result is a new way to think about parenting that is effective, efficient, and enjoyable. The book’s focus on life-readiness offers parents a new lens through which to see their parenting interactions and translates to an approach that eliminates many of the power struggles and ineffective patterns that can rob families of much of their joy.

“GIST is a potent dose of advice from a pediatrician and a child psychologist, both of whom witnessed the unfortunate results that come when parents try to protect, prevent, and control at every turn instead of preparing their kids for life. Combining the expertise of their respective professions with very practical tips, this is a how-to manual for any parent who wants to prepare their kids to thrive as adults.” —Julie Lythcott-Haims, former Dean of Students, Stanford University

“I have been a colleague of Mike Anderson for over 30 years and have found him to be provocatively insightful and practical. So it is no surprise that his book, GIST, is extraordinary, an indispensable, understandable tool for parents to help prepare kids for real-life challenges. I would recommend GIST to anybody who has children or cares about them, whether parent, grandparent, teacher, or counselor. Joined by Tim Johanson, with his own stellar background as a pediatrician, GIST is filled with their eye-opening, non-traditional insights. The writing is clear, concise, and profound, and equally important, immediately useful.“ —Jeff VanVonderen, Certified Intervention Professional, featured interventionist on the A&E Network’s Emmy-winning documentary series