Leaving Home for the Unknown: One Educator’s Global Path with Kathryne Imabayashi

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Kathryne Imabayashi—international educator, parent coach, and author—whose decades-spanning global journey began after a fateful encounter with the novel Shogun. Kathryne recounts how following an unexpected “nudge” to move to Japan set her on an adventure through multiple countries, shifting her perspectives on personal growth, parenting boys, self-discovery, and the sometimes surprising role of fate in adult life.About the Guest:Kathryne Imabayashi (Kathy) is a retired educator with decades of experience in early childhood and elementary education, both nationally and internationally. She founded a preschool in Japan and later held leadership roles supporting families and teachers. Now, she focuses on helping parents raise emotionally healthy boys through courses, workshops, and her podcast Unlocking the Parenting Code. Kathy is also the author of Raising Boys Who Become Remarkable Men.vigate the realities of parenting, transition, and personal transformation."Rather than jumping to, it was jumping from—I knew that if I stayed on the path I was on, it would not end up well for me... I was unsettled, not grounded, and I just knew I needed to try something different." — Kathryne ImabayashiMain Topics Covered:The life-changing impact of reading Shogun and making a radical move abroad at 30Navigating culture shock, language barriers, and building a life in JapanParenting as both an educator and a mom—especially the unique challenges and joys of raising boysHow fate, intuition, and context shaped Kathryne’s international teaching and administrative careerOvercoming internalized biases, especially around gender, sparked by a pivotal parenting momentThe surprising reality of becoming an “adventurer” despite a quiet, non-risk-taking childhoodThe role of lived experience in shaping parent coaching and educational approachesEmbracing continual change, self-reflection, and the value of imperfect adultingQuote from the Episode:“Rather than jumping to, it was jumping from—I knew that if I stayed on the path I was on, it would not end up well for me... I was unsettled, not grounded, and I just knew I needed to try something different.” — Kathryne ImabayashiTimestamps: [00:00:05] Guest welcome and why laughter matters[00:01:01] The book that changed everything: Shogun[00:02:16] Life in Canada, wanderlust, and feeling unsettled[00:08:29] The practicalities of moving to Japan with no safety net[00:14:28] Marriage, family, and an unexpected international odyssey[00:21:32] The difference between jumping to adventure vs. jumping from discomfort[00:26:18] The story behind Kathryne’s passion for raising emotionally healthy boys[00:32:06] Navigating bias, fear, and the transition from educator to parent[00:38:35] Kathryne’s coaching work and ways to connectConnect with the Guest:Website: sonhoodcoaching.com.Special Offer from the Guest:Listeners of The Art of Imperfect Adulting can access a complimentary introductory coaching call with Kathryne. Visit sunhoodcoaching.com and mention the podcast in your inquiry to schedule your session or access a range of free resources for parents raising boys.Note from the show: Guest offers are often limited-time and limited quantity. If you have an issue redeeming the guest offer please reach out to the guest or vendor directly.If you love the show and you'd like to support it directly you can tip the host here https://imperfect-adulting.captivate.fm/supportNever Miss a Moment of Imperfect AdultingWe invite you to join our email community and let us bring the podcast directly to you! As a subscriber, you'll receive notifications about new episodes, exclusive offers from our amazing guests, and easier access to any of the important links mentioned on the show—no more scrambling to write down websites or remember special codes.Why subscribe?Stay up-to-date without checking your podcast appGet guest offers delivered straight to your inboxAccess all important links in one convenient placeCatch the highlights even when you don't have time to listenAre you ready? Join us at https://www.imperfectadulting.com If you have a story to share and you'd like to be a guest on The Art of Imperfect Adulting, here are the steps for how you can make that happen. Pitch yourself at https://www.imperfectadulting.com/be-a-guestHere are a few resources that Amy uses to make all this great content. These are affiliate links :-)For livestreaming and recording ECamm https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=amy69Podcast hosting and distribution: Captivate FM https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=ntczmwi Website hosting with Siteground https://www.siteground.com/?referrer_id=9115590Ai Transcription Tool: Castmagic https://get.castmagic.io/ugrmjjrt8ofjFor Email I recently switched to Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Amy-Stonebefore that I used Kit. Books I like and books written by show guests on Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/lists/podcast-guest-authors