I told my mom I play poker

[steamboatin]

I told my Mommy! She is fine but my older sister is convinced I am a compulsive gambler because I go to the gambling boat at leat once a month!

[Yarney]

Let me preface this by saying that I am not a pro and I'm not considering going pro either.

However, with that said, I think its the kind of thing that your parents should know about gradually. Let them know that you have taken an interest in it and started a game up once a week or something like that. Over the next couple of months let them know about a tournament or two you may have won. Mention how nice it is that you've found something that you enjoy and that makes you some extra money on the side. Then, when you tell them that you are playing full time, they will see things in a completely different light. Although they may not approve, they will at least understand where you're coming from.

-Yarney

[pzhon]

[ QUOTE ]
ANyway, I told my mom yesterday that I've been playing, and she didn't take it too well, and thought I'd become a degenerate, in debt and owing loan sharks.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are 21? If you want your mother to accept that you are a winning gambler, one tactic is to ask if she will help you with your taxes. Have detailed records.

[LetsRock]

I'm not in your shoes (I'm not a "pro" and I'm not 21 - but Ithink I was sometime ago [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]). My parents are cool enough to accept that I enjoy poker, but are not big on gambling. Their idea of gambling is to take $40 up to a csino twice a year and see how long they can make it last in the nickle machines. When I was old enough to understand the concept of gambling, my father gave me some very good advice that very much controls my gaming habits. Never risk more than you can afford. Only bet on "sure" things. Poker is not a "sure" thing, but those of us who put some effort into learning the game can use edges to our advantage to make it almost sure over the long term.

I've been playing poker (in some form or another) since I was about 10. I never got into debt over it and I have always been walk away from a loss with no regrets about the money - I regert not having fun, but the money was meaningless in the big sceme of things. My folks know that I play on-line and they kind of role thier eyes about that concept, but it's no big deal. Enough about me.

If you are still a student, just tell people you are a student - people rarely inquire much further because we all know what being a student means. Even if you have what might be considered "excess" cash flow for a student, people would probably just assume that you're being generously suplemented from mom & dad.

If I needed to admit to a job, I would simply tell people that I am an investor. And you're not even lying. Good poker is the art of putting your money at risk when a good investment opportunity comes along (this is really how I view it, not some sort of analogy).

If you're parents don't like it, then you have to decide what is more importatnt to you - living your life, or making them happy. Not an easy decision, especially at your age, but it is your decision none the less. I would expect that as long as you don't live in rags and don't call home for loans if you bust out, that they'll learn to accept it. If you take responsibility for your own decisions, they will likely find a way to respect you, even if they don't care for your choices.

[1800GAMBLER]

I just want to know why many people so often find it so hard to disagree with themselves? Someone help me out.

So your mum would have all her life had the idea that all gamblers are degenerates and it's not possible to win, yet when you start to explain to her how it is possible she just wont listen.

Happens so many times, so many situations, help?

[BaronVonCP]

As long as I'm paying rent, car note, insurance, and tuition, my mom will never argue about what I am doing to make money as long as it is legal.

[Carl_William]

"told my mom I play poker"

Years ago a prop player in Gardena listed his job as "dealing in public relations" -- something of that nature. Just make up an appropriate title -- something impressive.

[Peter Harris]

This "gambling" aspect is it with my mum; she condones but does not approve of my play, despite seeing $600 cheques being posted to me.

I really fancy doing something like "cultural conceptions of gambling" for my dissertation, but reckon the topic is quite broad. Maybe internet poker and kin relations...

But yes, each person you tell will have a conception of poker, typically the smoky dark card room out the back of the bar, where you get beaten up if you win anyway (thanks hollywood). Or the religious aspect of gambling is coded into people.

I meet a mix from "wow, you can make money playing poker?" to "ooh, it's gambling" to "you must be a degenerate, communist drug addict".

You can't win at poker *AND* at altering people's personalities! If you're happy with what you're doing, then fine. You can't change a person's mind, only they can.

Regards,
Peter Harris

[Surfbullet]

[ QUOTE ]
I meet a mix from "wow, you can make money playing poker?" to "ooh, it's gambling" to "you must be a degenerate, communist drug addict".

[/ QUOTE ]

Classic.

Dan

[AQheartbreak]

thanks everyone for the insight. I'm just going to keep doing my thing, I think after some time, things will be all good.