Overcoming Obstacles and Self-Discovery as a Single Father: A Conversation with Kent Lawlor

The perfect family is a convincing picture. Parenting happens outside the frame.

Teacher, author, and single father Kent Lawlor joins Jay to talk about raising three children and writing honestly about the parts of parenthood that polished images leave out. They discuss comparison, online pressure, and the difference a parent's tone can make when a child is struggling to listen.

Kent also shares the story behind Forever Forward and the role obstacle racing and CrossFit played in his life. The conversation connects parenting, mental health, and the experience of attempting something unfamiliar without expecting yourself to get everything right.

What We Explore

• Single parenting and the myth of a perfect household
• Writing honestly in Perfectly Imperfect
• Children, online comparison, and pressure to fit in
• Tone, patience, and communicating with a child
• Kent's experiences with obstacle racing and CrossFit
• The story behind Forever Forward
• Mental health, self-judgment, and trying again

About Kent Lawlor

Kent Lawlor is a schoolteacher, father, and author of Perfectly Imperfect and Forever Forward: What Obstacle Racing and CrossFit Taught Me About Life.

Kent: Perfectly Imperfect • Forever Forward

The Tragedy Academy

Candid conversations exploring the human experience through tragedy and triumph.

Hosted by Jay Hicks.

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The Tragedy Academy is a show created to bridge societal divides in a judgment-free zone using candor and humor. 

Be cool. Keep Learning.