Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children · Debbie Reber

Chris Balme on Making Middle School an Adventure Worth Savoring

·33 min·3 clips
Chris Balme recalls almost passing out from fear when his boss called him in, but six months later she trusted him to run the store alone.
Debbie Reber interviews Chris Balme about his new book 'Challenge Accepted', which offers 50 adventures to help middle schoolers turn adolescence into a meaningful growth experience. They discuss how healthy risk-taking, choice, and parental support can boost confidence and self-efficacy, with specific insights for neurodivergent learners. Chris shares personal stories and practical strategies to make middle school an adventure rather than a struggle.

As heard by us

A hopeful, practical guide for middle schoolers and the adults supporting them.

Chris Baum treats middle school as a stretch for agency and connection, not just something to endure. The best part is the concrete kid-facing material: a full family meal, starting a business, camping for the first time, becoming an apprentice, publishing work, or making a…

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Why you'd press play

When middle school feels like a wall, this gives you a way to see a door.

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