Hello, 

I am Jennifer Watanabe. I am a wife, a mom of two grown sons, and a certified parent coach.

I know what it’s like to feel stressed about parenting.

When our oldest child cried after he got his 10-day-old immunizations, I tried to comfort him by patting him on the back and saying, “You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay.” My husband offered up a different approach. He said, “No, it is okay if he cries. The shots hurt.” I still remember that moment, even after 30 years, because I realized then that my “parenting instincts” had not yet kicked in.

I had to learn how to be a parent, and I had to learn how to implement what I had learned. Along the way I got support and guidance which made all the difference in helping me parent the way that I had always dreamed of. 

I became interested in teaching. For 24 years I taught parenting classes for Bellevue College in Washington state. I found that parents could learn about positive parenting, yet sometimes they still struggled with implementing these parenting practices. I decided to go back to school to become a parent coach because I wanted to support and encourage parents in a more effective way.

There is one more thing that I would like to share. When my oldest child was three months old, I got Bell’s Palsy, which is usually a temporary facial paralysis or weakness that affects one side of the face. For some folks it goes away completely. George Clooney had Bell’s palsy as a teenager. He recovered after some months. Unfortunately, I was not as lucky as George Clooney. My Bell’s Palsy never completely went away. Sometimes in pictures or when I am speaking or smiling, you will see my facial paralysis. It is not painful. Everyone has something. This is what I have. I am blessed with a healthy life, even though my face is a bit lop-sided. It is hard for me to smile. I am a serious person, and my not being able to smile straight makes me look even more serious.

I love parents and their children. I just happen to have a hard time smiling.

Let’s schedule a time for us to talk. We will find out if my coaching will help.