“I was born and raised in Indiana. In 1988 I moved to Washington state for a new job and to be with family. I feel blessed to call both places home.
I met my husband Mark on a blind date. We have been married for 32 years. 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 that my ‘parenting instincts’ had not yet kicked in. Thankfully, with time and care I learned more helpful things to say and do. Our sons are now 30 and 26, and they are very nice young men.
During my early weeks of parenting (way back in 1993), I participated in a parent and baby support group called PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support) in the Seattle area. My participation in that group was life changing. Before PEPS I did not know that one could think about how to be a parent.
A few years later I went back to school to study family development. Soon after I began my new career at Bellevue College working with parents and their children.
In my retirement I still teach and work with parents in private practice.
Jennifer Watanabe’s background:
- Bellevue College, WA state – retired after teaching parenting classes for 24 years.
- Certified Parent Coach from Seattle Pacific University’s Parent Coaching Institute.
- Certified Positive Discipline Parenting Educator.
If you would like to learn more, please contact me:
jennifer@resourcesforparenting.com | 206-399-455 okay to text
