As parents, we often think of middle school as a gauntlet—something our kids just need to survive. But my guest today, education leader, author, and school founder Chris Balme, sees it differently. To him, middle school is an extraordinary time of growth and self-discovery—a period where young people’s brains are changing at their fastest pace since early childhood, making it the perfect time to nurture creativity, agency, and resilience.

Chris joins me to share ideas from his new book, Challenge Accepted: 50 Adventures to Make Middle School Awesome—a guide for kids themselves to turn these years into something remarkable. With challenges ranging from stealth artistry to healing broken friendships, Chris shows us how experiences can inspire, connect, and grow the skills kids truly need for life. Along the way, we talk about adolescent brain development, the power of awe, peer-led conflict resolution, and why middle schoolers deserve more agency than they usually get.

If you’ve got a tween about to make the leap—or you’re already in the thick of it—this conversation will help you see these years not as a trial to endure, but as a hero’s journey worth embracing.

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] – Kicking off with a quick update on The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child: The Workbook
[1:37] – Introducing Chris Balme and his passion for transforming the middle school experience
[4:19] – Why middle schoolers are the “ultimate underdogs” and how reframing these years changes everything
[7:25] – Building a curriculum of experiences—how “Challenge Accepted” was born
[10:19] – Science-backed challenges for the TikTok generation that build connection, creativity, and agency
[13:04] – The “Stealth Artist” challenge and the value of positive rule-breaking
[23:54] – “Propose a Better Rule” and empowering students to create real change
[29:01] – The brain science and benefits behind “Find Awe in Nature”
[35:06] – “Heal a Broken Bond”—tools and mindsets for repairing friendships
[46:27] – Why middle schoolers are heroes in their own epic adventure

Links & Resources:

·         Chris's Website https://www.chrisbalme.com/about 

·         Harry Chapin: Flowers Are Red https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cVpkzZpDBA   

·         Mike Nicholson - educator https://www.learninspired.org/about  

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If you have a high school aged student and would like to talk about putting a tutoring or college plan together, reach out to Ned's company, PrepMatters at www.prepmatters.com