What to do with a Child who plays SNG's?

[bruce]

I have a nine year old son who likes to play mostly one to
three table tournaments on Stars. He'll play in $5 or $10
buyins. He's been playing for around six months. I set up
an account for him and I only let him play with my permission. He put $100 of his own money in the account and
although I don't have the exact stats his account now has around $1100 in it. He probably plays about 20 events per week. He plays mostly by himself. Occassionaly when he gets shorthanded or headsup he'll ask me for some help, but
I mostly force him to make his own decisions. He has a very
good intuitive feel for the game. He understands the value
of starting hands. He obviously doesn't know how to calculate pot odds, but knows if the pots big he can play
more hands or try to hit a draw. His main weakness is he sometimes doesn't play aggressively enough, but playing the
5's and 10's this might be a blessing.

Anyway does anyone have any experience with one of their kids playing on the net? This is also beginning to create problems between my wife and me. She thinks playing poker
for money for a nine year old is unhealthy and is afraid that he is going to become addicted to gambling? She's afraid that he will lose interest in activities that nine years old normally participate in, ie, baseball, soccor, riding a bicycle etc. although that has not happened. What
does everyone think?

Bruce

[Phill S]

Your wife is a wise person by the sounds of it.

And, err, he is 9 ffs!

[downtown]

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Your wife is a wise person by the sounds of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

[junkmail3]

As well as not being interested in sports, he'll also likely not get interested in:

alcohol
drugs
sex
boys

and a whole list of other things you might be concerned about.

[TomHimself]

[ QUOTE ]
boys

[/ QUOTE ] ?

[the shadow]

I don't have kids and am not married, so I'll refrain from saying anything other than asking STT for marital and parenting advice involving gambling is kinda like asking a bartender for advice about drinking.

[pokerdirty]

i agree with this...

[ QUOTE ]
asking STT for marital and parenting advice involving gambling is kinda like asking a bartender for advice about drinking.


[/ QUOTE ]

To the OP...

you're kid is awesome, he should go pro.

[bones]

[ QUOTE ]
Re: What to do with a Child who plays SNG's?

[/ QUOTE ]

Get him a 2nd monitor for Christmas and start paying off the mortgage.

[DeathbySuckout]

I think you have a responsibility to making sure you keep it under control. You are the parent, and if you see it is getting out of hand or interrupting school work, you need to intervene. I also think that you have to help him develop the discipline and money management that he will need to keep things under control. This, especially at his age, is just as, if not more important than helping him develop poker skills.
Beyond that, I think it's good that he's doing so well at it. It's nice finding something that you and your son can enjoy doing together.

Good luck to the both of you.

wow, I guess I shouldn't have thought I was the only one. My son is 8 and is doing the same thing, although he is only doing 1 to 3 SNGs a week. He has always watched me play and watches poker on TV with me and a couple of months ago I let him play under my account. He doesn't have as high of an ROI as your son, but he is in the black.

My wife doesn't have a problem with it, but I think as long as your son is still active in other activities that can't be much of an argument and you will find that it gets them more interested in math.