A Heart's Journey: How Kari Vernon's MEE Box Planted the seeds for the MEE Company

In one of my final years as a teacher in a traditional classroom, there was a special student who touched my heart deeply. To protect her identity, let's call her Jessica. Jessica was a bright girl who didn't have many friends at school, but she excelled academically and followed the rules diligently. One day, after class, Jessica approached me with a request that left me puzzled and concerned.

She asked if I could help her with math on the upcoming Friday. It struck me as odd because she was already doing exceptionally well in my math class. Curiosity compelled me to inquire further, and during our meeting, Jessica revealed the true reason behind her request. She needed extra work to keep herself occupied over the weekend. This was quite unusual for a student who already had an A in my class, especially for a young girl entering her tween years.

As I probed deeper, Jessica shared a heart-wrenching story. Her mother was no longer living at home, and it had been some time since she had left. Jessica now lived alone with her father, who would return home from work every Friday in a drunken state. His presence was never pleasant; he was consumed by anger and rage. Every Friday, he would find fault with Jessica, grounding her in her room for the entire weekend. She would be grounded to her room for the entire weekend. My heart ached, and I was utterly dumbfounded by the gravity of her situation.

Throughout my teaching career, I had encountered numerous stories of children facing challenging home lives, but Jessica's plight struck me like no other. Driven by empathy and a determination to help, I reached out to various agencies, hoping to find the support she desperately needed. However, the responses I received were disheartening. They focused on basic necessities—having a roof over her head, physical and sexual abuse, and access to food. While important, these questions failed to capture the emotional trauma Jessica endured, leaving her excluded from the interventions she so desperately required.

And so, Jessica and I began meeting weekly. Together, we explored different ideas to help her navigate her challenging circumstances. We delved into breathing techniques, mindfulness practices, visualizations, and discussions about her hopes, dreams, and positive qualities. Gratitude became a powerful tool in her healing process. Slowly, I became more than just her teacher; I became a mentor, and the seeds of something transformative were sown—the MEE Box.

The urgency for the MEE Box grew within me as I faced my own experiences as a parent. As my own children entered school and encountered their own struggles and challenges with peers, the need for this project became even more evident. Balancing the demands of being a full-time parent and a teacher was no easy task. By the time the bedtime routine arrived, I often felt depleted, yet it was precisely at that moment when my children would seek my attention, sharing their day's experiences and grappling with overwhelming emotions they couldn't handle on their own. At times, I wished for multiple versions of myself, knowing it was an impossible desire. But Jessica's memory lingered, reminding me that many children, like my own, lacked the attention and support they needed to meet their needs in the present moments.

Inspired by this realization, I set out to create a solution that would support and empower my children during those crucial moments when my undivided attention was simply unavailable. The MEE Box was never intended to replace genuine support and connection, but rather to supplement those times when it was momentarily out of reach. Each tool within the MEE Box was carefully chosen based on my real-time experiences with my own children. I would teach them these tools and explain their purpose, mentoring them as they practiced independently. Soon, they had a small collection of strategies to navigate life's hurdles. The process wasn't linear, and there were ups and downs. Initially, we would still come together to discuss the challenges they faced, creating space for them to process their experiences. Gradually, I discovered small pockets of time in the evening, where I could engage in activities that brought me joy and filled my own emotional well.

As my experience with the MEE Box grew, it evolved into something more profound and impactful. I began sharing my concept with friends, family, and colleagues, and their response was overwhelming. They would say, "Wow, my child could really benefit from that!" Then, as if destiny had intervened, an opportunity arose to showcase the MEE Box in a small business incubator. It was a chance to prove its viability as a business idea. On that memorable night, I stood before a live audience and a panel of judges, much like in the TV show "Shark Tank." The response was remarkable. People embraced the concept wholeheartedly, and the emcee referred to me as "the real deal," affirming that this was exactly what the world needed.

Today, the MEE Box has grown into the MEE Company, standing as a symbol of hope and resilience, born from the hearts of children like Jessica and my own. Our purpose is to support parents and teenagers alike, offering tools to navigate the complexities of life with grace and strength. With the MEE Company, we can bridge the gaps in support, nurturing our children's emotional well-being even when we can't be physically present. Let us embark on this journey together, as parents, united in our love and dedication to our precious teenagers.