Has anyone else not told their parents they are a poker pro?

[betgo]

I have been playing full time for 1/2 year and as a major source of income for 1 1/2 years. Told my parents I am still doing software development. Haven't even told them I play poker recreationally. Was at my uncle's funeral Saturday and told everyone I did software work.

[Victor]

i told my whole family. they think i am crazy but have no serious problems. my 80 yr old grandpa wants me to teach him this "internet thing." my grandma is the only one who disapproves. my dad is jealous.

heres the thing. i hate lying, especially to people i like and respect.

[Ed Miller]

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I have been playing full time for 1/2 year and as a major source of income for 1 1/2 years. Told my parents I am still doing software development.

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Likewise. Everyone I know still thinks I work for Microsoft. Any ideas on how to break the news?

[thejameser]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have been playing full time for 1/2 year and as a major source of income for 1 1/2 years. Told my parents I am still doing software development.

[/ QUOTE ]

Likewise. Everyone I know still thinks I work for Microsoft. Any ideas on how to break the news?

[/ QUOTE ]

first, tell them you are wanted in 3 states for a series of homocides. and oh yeah, you play poker for a living. when they calm down tell them truth. simple.

[TheIrishThug]

i just told my parents i play for money online. they knew i played with friends and stuff, but seem to not aprove of me playing online. which i knew from the get go (hence the not telling them for 9 months).

i told them because i really didn't like having them in the dark of my major hobby. i figured i had built up a big enough bankroll from, litterally, nothing. but apparently not. they gave me the whole, "well its nice that u r up now..." but since i'm going back to school soon, it won't be an issue until i have to tell my dad he needs to add x in as other income on my tax form.

[jokerthief]

Send them your book.

[Justin A]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have been playing full time for 1/2 year and as a major source of income for 1 1/2 years. Told my parents I am still doing software development.

[/ QUOTE ]

Likewise. Everyone I know still thinks I work for Microsoft. Any ideas on how to break the news?

[/ QUOTE ]

Start by telling them you moved to Vegas.

[Daliman]

My wife still hasn't told her parents I play for a living.

[Dominic]

I don't know....show them one of your books?

[Felix_Nietsche]

Tell them a drug dealer or pimp.
It is better than telling them you're a poker pro. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[octop]

I havent my dad despises gambling ( his dad had a gambling problem)
I was thinking about it a few months ago. Then my granmother mentioned something about going to Vegas and he said "thats the last plae in the world I'd want to go to.

[MrJinx]

Told them a month after I went pro, which would be about a year and a half ago. I really didnt see the point in hiding what I do to my parents because they will find out eventually. If they accept it, they accept it...if they don't they don't. I suggest just biting the bullet and telling them. Put it bluntly and try to explain the details on how and why it works. If it comes to it, break out the numbers and tell them that playing poker for a living makes you happy.

As far as how they took/are taking it...

My mother has come to fully accept and somewhat respect what I do as a legitimate means of making a living. My father, on the other hand, disapproves completely and is in total denial. Every time I see him he offers me suggestions on potential career paths...just last week he told me he saw an Ad in the paper that said that UPS was hiring (my hourly rate is probably higher than the supervisors there)...I told him I'd think about it /images/graemlins/smile.gif. You can only explain so many times before you start playing along.

[benkahuna]

I told my parents and they responded pretty poorly. I recommend avoiding it until you make a ton of bucks. I normally don't recommend lying, but it seems like a better of two unfavorable options against people who are uninformed and prejudiced against poker as a livelihood.

[autobet]

Anyone who has a problem telling people what they do should get a part-time job.

You can say I do x and play poker to supplement my income.
No gaps on your resume.
Gets you out of the house or cardroom.

[blaze666]

i haven't told them im a pro, but even if i did i would be lying. but i haven't told them i play as an amatuer for money, even though im winning.

[beset7]

[ QUOTE ]
I have been playing full time for 1/2 year and as a major source of income for 1 1/2 years. Told my parents I am still doing software development. Haven't even told them I play poker recreationally. Was at my uncle's funeral Saturday and told everyone I did software work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I told my parents and it stressed them out but I'm a grown man with a family of my own and too much on my plate to worry about what others, including my parents who I love, think about me.

[KaneKungFu123]

just write a note explaining all to them trying to drop it in convo is fruitless.

[betgo]

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just write a note explaining all to them trying to drop it in convo is fruitless.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am easing them in to it. I told my mother I was doing some freelance work on the Internet. She asked, "are you getting paid for it?" I told her it used my mathematical abilities, and she was happy.

If someone is concerned about it, have them watch you play for an hour. Explain to them what is going on and why you are making the decisions you make. Even though they probably won't understand the subtler poker aspects, they will begin to respect poker as a legitimate job.