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

[ChoicestHops]

I think this is awesome. As long as you give him guidance I don't see why he would get addicted. It's just a game to him, and you have to set limits. Obviously he should not be allowed to play by himself until a long time.

Of course you could teach him chess, but poker can teach him money management and investing skills. It could do him good in the future to learn these things now. However, don't let it consume physical activities he should be doing as a kid. You have to be in control of the situation.

Even so, if your wife doesn't agree you may have to give it up until he gets older. You would lose in a custody battle (if for some reason you got a divorce). If she has the train of thought that gambling, even at a responsible level, is bad then she won't realize the good in it.

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I think taking $1000 out of his $1100 is just plain meaningless. He'll be devastated.



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He wont be devistated. He will still be doing something he obviously considers fun with his dad (EV+ than 1000 cashmoney) PLUS the money that is actually in the bank and working for him while he makes MORE money playing quality poker.


I'm also assuming he is literate? Perhaps getting a book like TPFAP or HOH and reading them together could be EV+ for the both of you.

I realize that he is making good money at this already, but try to emphasise the positives of poker (i.e cognitive thinking, math skills, money mangement, and pure logic). I personally don't see why you woldn't want to invest some of that money(1000) into a kid that will most defiately pay off in the high I.Q market.

[vinyard]

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Have him learn chess.

[/ QUOTE ] Because no marriages ever spilt over father's obsessions with their children's chess careers, eh? How much time do you spend around first generation E Euro or Russian immigrants famlies?

[Mr_J]

Jesus, let the kid keep playing for as long as he enjoys it (although limit how much time he can spend playing each day, he needs to do regular kid stuff too). Encourage him to invest most of the profits he doesn't need for his BR (ie don't let him spend too much). That chunk of cash can grow to a pretty nice amount over the years.

"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?"

Rubbish. I used to play cards for lunch money when I was a kid, and I don't have any gambling problems. My problem is getting myself to actually PLAY.

"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."

This is important. He sounds fine, but just make sure poker stays casual. As good as it'd be for him to make a decent amount of money, it's much more important to be a 9yr old.

[mlagoo]

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I'm also assuming he is literate?

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lol

[gisb0rne]

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how is this a dick move?? do you remember having 1000 dollars when you were 9.. Imagine the education you could have paid for had you invested a simple 1000 at age 9 into some sort of rolling CD's or into a 10 year trust. But your right, trading a future for a chance to move up to the 20's is the right move.

But im just a donk

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1000 after 10 years will be 4000 if he's lucky. Not much to get excited about considering how much college will cost in 10 years.

Whether I let him keep playing depends on what his attitude is. Does he want to learn the skill to beat the games? Or is he interested in the "gamble"?

[bruce]

We have made multiple trips to the bank to deposit money into his college or car fund. Even though he would like the money himself and do what he pleases he's happy that the money is being put away for him for future endeavors.
I will not allow him direct access to the money.

Twenty games a week may sound like a lot, but he's a kid whose bouncing a basketball or hitting a baseball a good portion of the time, so I don't see this interfering with other activities. He's a very good athlete and he love's to fish. He really doesn't like to play video games at
all. He finds it boring. So from my perspective I don't
see this affecting his development. His math skills have gotten a whole lot better as a result of poker. He can
multiply and divide big numbers and he understands percentages. He still doesn't quite understand pot odds but we're working on it.

He began playing gin about four years ago and he used to beat his grandparents for a quarter a game religiously. They refuse to play him now because they lose almost everytime.

I will not let him play unless I'm around and I am always in the room with him either reading or watching sports and I'm always sitting next to him so I'm not using poker as a substitute for parenting.

Thanks for the feedback.

Bruce

[Mr_J]

And to the people who said this should be college money, rubbish. This is where his investments should start. Dad should still pay for college (better play those sngs [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]) so the son can develop a good financial base at an early age.

BTW, does anyone else think this is funny that we have an 8 and 9 yo in this thread that beat adults in poker [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Wonder what they'd all say when they found out our guys aren't even into double digits. I love it...

[The Yugoslavian]

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Have him learn chess.

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He's too old to start and be any good.

Yugoslav

[Mr_J]

BTW your child sitting in front of video games all day is something to worry about alot more. At least what he's doing is productive. The only thing video games can do is give someone good multitabling skills. I'm glad my Ps never bought me a nintendo or mega drive (had to save for a n64 myself).