Melon Collective helps kids and parents recognize and talk about hard feelings. We believe that the more we can do to bolster a healthy emotional foundation in early childhood, the better our kids will fare as teenagers and young adults. Our pajamas feature adorable motifs that sport happy faces, sad faces, angry faces, and everything in between. At the very least, kids will see and accept different emotional states. But used in an active way, the pajamas can facilitate important conversations around bedtime (when many kids share and reflect about their day) and offer an opportunity to connect children with parents and caregivers. The goal is to be a platform that supports youth mental health in a meaningful way through products and relevant content.

 

 

My Story: the founding of Melon Collective

Like many adults I know, I was called "too sensitive" whenever I felt sad or angry as a kid. I learned early on that my feelings were too much and I grew into an anxious and depressed teenager. Unable to recognize and accept my feelings as I got older, I felt confused and alone. 

 

I spent many years in my 20's and 30's examining the layers of different feelings I had put on top of other feelings and untangling the shame, guilt, and confusion from the basic emotion that I wish I had been able to express. Without validation of and conversation around my feelings as a kid, I had a hard time figuring out how to handle big feelings.

 

I studied psychology at the University of Southern California and ended up building a career in the tech industry working in advertising and marketing at companies like Facebook and Pinterest. But psychology was always my passion.

 

In 2013, my daughter, Grace, was born. I realized that I had an opportunity to change the story for her. I never wanted her to feel ashamed of her feelings and like she had to hide who she really was. Two more kids later and my parenting philosophy has remained the same - all feelings are welcome and no feeling is too big for me to handle. 

 

As the statistics around the mental health of our young adults in America continue to make the news, I believe that we have an opportunity to change the direction of these alarming curves. If we can instill in our kids early on the importance of recognizing, accepting, and getting through hard feelings, we can develop a resilience in them that will carry them through difficult times throughout their lives. 

 

Lauren has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Southern California and is currently a Masters of Family Therapy trainee at Pepperdine University.

 

 

 

What we believe

All feelings are valid.

No feelings are bad.

Resilience is cultivated.