My First Year as an Underage Poker Player (Long)

[Blarg]

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I have read at least 10x of posters on this and other forums letting their 7-12 year old children gamble online.

I don't think NLSoldier letting him play for a few bucks online is remotely close in badness to the above. Also, when NLSoldier turns 21 he'll probably be buying him beer too, are you gonna freak out about that as well?

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I'd rather have my kid playing poker than: watching t.v., playing Nintendo or other PC/video games, hanging around with bad-influence type friends, exploring what drugs or alcohol are about, taking up most activities that didn't stimulate his mind or wasted his time for little reward, or generally doing a lot of the jerkwad things teenagers do.

I wouldn't want him playing poker so much that he became underdeveloped socially or physically. But that doesn't mean not playing poker at all.

As for the morality of it? It's a card game, that's all. It might be one of the most moral things in the world, since it's one of the few areas where being richer, more connected, handsomer, physically stronger, or even more socially adept mean nothing. Everyone starts out at the same level and nobody can cheat their way ahead in line while claiming the playing field was perfectly level. It's a model meritocracy where you can't cheat or be cheated, and everyone deserves exactly what they get. At least over time. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Where else in the world can you find that level of pure morality?

Morality isn't a strong point of kids; they're constantly showing off and trying to pull crap on each other and bully their way around or avoid the bullying around of others. Poker provides a better environment than lots of kids will ever come close to.

As long as they get out of the house enough to keep their social skills developing and stay physically healthy, I'd rather my kids were playing poker in their free time than doing most other things they'd do while hanging around the house. Besides maybe cleaning up their rooms and helping with yardwork.

[Blarg]

Funny thing is, I think some of the worst advice here comes from adults. "Spend your money, spend yout money!" I think they're in fantasy mode.

The value of money when you need it is enormous compared to when you don't need it. You should put aside as much of it as possible while you don't need it so that it will be there when you do, at which time the same amount of money will be worth vastly more to you. As someone moving from a life of no real responsibilities to one who will be on your own in a couple or few years, this definitely applies to you particularly clearly.

Also, the idea of adapting your personality to a high spending lifestyle can cripple even the very rich and make you unappreciative of what you have. It's basically taking on a liability that you have to pay interest on just like a debt. If you can't be happy with a $20,000 car instead of a $40,000 car, you'll always be spending $20,000 extra for just that area of happiness alone. And how many more things that make you happy could you find to distort by changing yourself so that you are only happy when you spend outsize amounts of money on them?

Your core values and outlook shouldn't be a function of your bank account. Just use your money to help fund a smart, stable, well-lived life, not to be a "big spender" and the kind of person who is "that guy with the money." It's much better to orient yourself in life as the guy who's happy and solid and figures he has extra than as the guy who never has enough and always wishes he had a little bit more, and quick. Your personality usually comes out much the better for it, too.

Have money, and make more. But don't lose the honest, decent kid inside. Blowing your cash is for suckers. Save it, invest it, and make more of it until you're blowing the interest instead. This is a capitalist system; it stinks without capital. Always think of your money as capital. Do that well enough and you won't be able to spend it fast enough. Treat it indifferently or foolishly, and you'll never have enough or spend enough to be happy.

[NLSoldier]

Blarg,

These last two posts are awesome. I hope Ogre gets as much out of them as I just did [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[nolanfan34]

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Also, the idea of adapting your personality to a high spending lifestyle can cripple even the very rich and make you unappreciative of what you have.

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I think this is called the MC Hammer Theorem. (OP in this thread was barely even born then....sigh)

Great posts in this thread Blarg. I agree 100 percent. I'd be spending money on a few things to enjoy life, but man, if you can save enough money to not have student loans after college? That's huge.

[soundgarden4]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, the idea of adapting your personality to a high spending lifestyle can cripple even the very rich and make you unappreciative of what you have. It's basically taking on a liability that you have to pay interest on just like a debt. If you can't be happy with a $20,000 car instead of a $40,000 car, you'll always be spending $20,000 extra for just that area of happiness alone. And how many more things that make you happy could you find to distort by changing yourself so that you are only happy when you spend outsize amounts of money on them?


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This is the reason why I read 2+2, for these pieces of gold.
Everyone should learn to live like this. Thank you Blarg.

kevin

[JohnnyHumongous]

U R SMRT GUY 4 SURE

[lil_o]

P.H.D.

[Raydain]

What do you do about taxes?

[tdarko]

i don't think he was talking about Ogre turning down any opportunity to make money--especially money that most kids that age don't touch.

his post is about making it public and especially making it public at a place like 2+2. he is just making sure people understand that coming out parties about underage gambling can effect us all.

anyway ChrisCo and Ogre congrats on your success, i too made some money at an early age but for a different sport and not poker. money is nice and should be spent and in the same light its also nice to hear a kids that age talk about responsibility and the future.

very cool read to say the least, keep us updated.