Adolescents Are Identity Scientists: Exploring With Chris Balme

About this episode

A conversation with Chris Balme about adolescents as identity scientists during their middle school and teen years.

In this episode, I sit down with education leader, parent, and author Chris Balme for a deep, thoughtful, and often funny conversation about what adolescents are really doing during the middle school and teen years. We explore why this stage of life is less about “figuring kids out” and more about understanding the intense social, emotional, and neurological work they’re already doing every day. Chris offers a powerful frame that I love: adolescents as identity scientists, running experiments...

People in this episode

Host: Ned Johnson

Guest: Chris Balme

Topics covered

• adolescents
• identity
• education
• social development
• emotional growth

Keywords

• adolescents
• identity scientists
• middle school
• teen years
• social emotional development

More episodes of The Self-Driven Child

• Tapping into what really motivates teens: an interview with bestselling author and psychologist Dr. David Yeager · May 13, 2026 · 1h 13m
• Simply weathering the storm of modern life? Help your kids survive and THRIVE! · April 9, 2026 · 1h 7m
• When the World Feels Too Big: Talking With Our Kids About Hard Things · March 26, 2026 · 53 min
• 8 Setbacks to Make A Child a Success: With Michelle Icard · March 3, 2026 · 57 min
• Mattering: an interview with Jennifer Wallace · January 29, 2026 · 45 min
• Why We Sleep - The Great Sleep Challenge · December 16, 2025 · 38 min