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

If this episode has helped you, remember to rate, follow, and share the Self-Driven Child Podcast. Your support helps us reach more people and create more content that makes a difference.

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

What happens when schools set boundaries on student phone use—not to punish, but to empower learning? In this episode, I sit down with Julie Yang, President of the Montgomery County, Maryland Board of Education, to explore the increasingly complex relationship between students, smartphones, and learning environments. Julie brings both personal and professional insights from her roles as an educator, board leader, and parent to help us unpack how thoughtful school policies can shape healthier, more focused, and less anxious learning experiences.

We dive into how schools are navigating the pros and cons of technology in classrooms, what research says about screen time and attention, and why policies need to be rooted in both compassion and practicality. Julie walks us through the real-life rollout of phone regulations in one of the country’s largest school systems, and the student feedback that’s reshaping how we think about tech in education. If you’re a parent, educator, or student wondering what “phone away for a better day” really looks like—this conversation’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

[3:44] – Why regulating phone use in schools is such a hot topic right now
[5:18] – Montgomery County’s current phone policy and the balance between rules and student self-regulation
[7:30] – How student phone use has evolved through the 2010s, the pandemic, and beyond
[10:28] – The rise of screen addiction and why setting boundaries isn’t anti-tech—it’s pro-learning
[13:26] – Including student voices: What focus groups revealed about phone policies
[16:45] – Middle school and high school student reactions to phone-free learning environments
[18:49] – Creative implementation strategies from different schools—no one-size-fits-all approach
[23:34] – How to help teens develop respectful and effective phone habits
[29:00] – Teaching students that even phones need recess—and how digital detox benefits us all
[35:23] – Are Chromebooks and other tech tools part of the problem too?
[38:57] – Social media, mental health, and why phones are only one piece of a bigger puzzle
[43:45] – Final thoughts on partnership, reflection, and the importance of revisiting regulations

Links & Resources:

Julie's website: https://www.julieyang.org/

If this episode has helped you, remember to rate, follow, and share the Self-Driven Child Podcast. Your support helps us reach more people and create more content that makes a difference.

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

It’s summer, and that means more time outside—and for me, that means time with trees. In this episode, I dive deep into how trees, those quiet giants of our world, can actually help us and our kids develop healthier minds and deeper self-awareness. I unpack some fascinating science behind what nature, especially time spent among trees, does for our brains, our stress levels, and even our test scores.

Inspired by Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees, I explore not just the hidden life of trees, but the hidden life in trees—and what it can teach us about connection, cooperation, and the power of downtime. Whether you're a fellow tree-lover, a parent looking for ways to support your child’s mental health, or just someone who needs a reason to unplug and take a walk, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] - Why we fall back into old habits and the launch of our new workbook, The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child
[1:20] - Introducing the episode theme: my love for trees and what they offer us mentally and emotionally
[3:14] - What Peter Wohlleben teaches us about trees' communication, cooperation, and support systems
[5:55] - Why intergenerational connections matter—and how forests model this beautifully
[7:03] - Green spaces and mental health: insights from Denmark and beyond
[9:02] - Understanding the default mode network and why downtime is vital for brain development
[12:25] - How nature improves test performance: the Johns Hopkins study and real-life results
[14:30] - A personal story of helping a student prep for the ACT with a walk in the woods
[16:08] - The danger of overscheduling our kids and the need for daily unstructured time
[17:40] - My son’s dreamy daydreaming as a child and how it shaped his path as a composer
[18:50] - How to gently support kids in managing phone use and embracing digital downtime
[19:46] - Final reflections and a call to get out in nature and enjoy a moment of peace and connection

Links & Resources:

• The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben: https://www.peterwohllebenbooks.com/

· Article: "Rest Is Not Idleness" by Mary Helen Immordino-Yang: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26168472/

If this episode has helped you, remember to rate, follow, and share the Self-Driven Child Podcast. Your support helps us reach more people and create more content that makes a difference.

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