I agree...although, when the times comes planning to start a family, I'm just hoping that his life management will be as good as his BR management.

sure if you plan on living in a luxurious apartment, fine dining every night, and live like tom dwan. but for the rest of us who are content with a mere $30 an hr, it sounds like a good living.

I apologize if this post is in bad taste, but what's your opinion on this?

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29...77/index3.html

OP, ya see pro player who is down 700K. does your kid owe you money too?

+1 for the link

As an experienced job searcher/finder over the last 10+ difficult economic years, here's what I would suggest. Make up a job with a company that someone you know owns or is in an executive position. (could be any kind of company). Put the job/company on your resume and when asked to fill out the application (the app is what the hiring company/background check co. will use to check your background, not your resume) only give this person's name and cell phone #, email addr and only give it on the application. (Do not include company address or phone # on your resume!) Then when they check your reference, the person (your friend/acquaintance) giving the reference will corroborate your experience. You will have a better than 50% chance as compared to no chance with the gap. If you'd like, PM me and I'll send you my resume as an example of how to deal with gaps and provide minimal verifiable info but still show strong experience. Good luck!

My Son's not born yet, but when he is he'll have two choices: Baseball or Poker.

This is one of the most ludicrous things I've ever read on these boards, and there are some REALLY silly things that are said.

Seriously, wtf are you thinking typing something like that?

Reading this entire thread has made me realize how delusional the vast majority of you are. It's like having a group of people talking about how polygamy (or something else along those lines) is good or fine and everyone else in the world should accept/embrace it. I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this simply isn't the case.

Most people look at you differently when you tell them you're a professional poker player. Some people will look at you positively, but I'd think most would look at it negatively. Can that be offset by the way you carry yourself and conduct your business? Sure, but there are also many who's opinion it won't.

I have a baby on the way. I can't wait for him/her to arrive and I have things planned for them already. I play poker. I gamble, I drink, I stay out late, and I have a job. If my kid told me they wanted to be a professional poker player I'd literally laugh in their face and demand that they do not. It wouldn't come to the point where I'd disown them, but it's something I would do everything humanly possible to steer them clear of.

I'm unsure of the age demographics of many of the people who've responded in this thread but there was a response where someone mentioned they are approaching their 30s and other factors come into play in their lives. Well, that is absolutely true. Being married? Having a kid? Ballparks and BBQs? Not me, no way. That was the 27 year old version of me. Fast forward to the 35 year old version of me and I still do what I want, I still go out and party and gamble and have fun, but it's slowing down and I simply don't get the enjoyment out of it I used to. I WANT family now, I want to have a kid to raise. One day you get to the point where you realize it's not about you anymore and you care more about the people around you than you do yourself. What happens when your career doesn't allow you to provide the things that you want to provide, a situation that very well can and most likely will happen if you become a professional poker player?

Even if my kid could become one of the best (Tow Dwan/Ivey level), I'd still prefer them not to. These people with these attitudes of "as long as my kid is happy, I'm happy!" logic is mind-boggling. I wouldn't force my kid into something they wouldn't want to do, but I'd try to steer them in the direction I'd want. Professional poker isn't one of them.

Final thought - 30 dollars an hour is a salary you can live on, absolutely. Anyone who thinks that is a "good" salary is smoking crack. It's a salary a 22 year old college student can make starting in a high paying field. After being a working professional for 10 years, that salary is literally laughable. You can throw medians and averages out however long you wish, but anyone here who makes 70-120k can tell you right now that if you want a nice house and a nice car along with decent entertainment and savings and clothes/food, it's almost impossible on 60k.

30 dollars an hour. Jesus Christ. I wouldn't even take a job right now for 30 dollars an hour. Since when is setting a goal of 60k a year admirable or considered "doing ok"? To put things in perspective if you can speak English and aren't disabled, you can make 60k a year being a waiter/bartender and at least it'll get you laid pretty often. Poker won't even get you that.

My oldest son is 16 and I teach him poker. Poker teaches life lessons in a short period of time. His immediate benefit is being able to crush his friends for lunch money now, but when he hits college and makes beer money at those frat house games, i'll just smile. When he is old enough to venture into the local casino, I'll tutor him on live play as well.

My goal isn't to make my son a poker pro. I've been making money at poker for over 10 years and it's always been a side gig. Casino's are entertainment for a lot of folks. I enjoy going and sitting in a cash game, enjoying the perks and constantly making disposable income. I want my son to be able to do the same things.

My son is a straight A student who has already scored very high on the ACT and wants to get 2 degrees in engineering. I see poker as something that will only add to his skill set. Poker players are very good at strategic thinking/analyzing risk vs reward.

Considering some of the recent post about the old school/new school and how poker is becoming mainstream and not so shady anymore. I see it as something positive to share with my kids.

It tilts me so much that this thread isn't titled " a parental view" that I haven't read it.

I think people need to get over the fact that poker isnt a regular $30ph job, it isnt a constant steady income - you cannot possibly compare it to a job. Your 'hourly' fluctuates, sometimes drastically. I really hate when people mention 'my hourly', its so ridiculous to look at it this way - stop trying to make it into what society views as a regular job. My parents (who have always disliked my vocation, albeit have been fine with it for the last few years) sometimes say things like 'so are you working tonight', I guess thats exactly what I am doing but it seems odd to talk about it this way - they just try to make it more into what they are used to.

It has its pros and cons, it all depends on what you view as a benefit in your life. Personally being able to go on vacation or wake up slightly later after a night out or not having to commute or sit in an office with a bunch of ****s all day are the main reasons I chose poker.

I have been m-hs online pro for 5 years it can be unreliable and painful at times - during those times you almost strive to find other things to do - you almost get creative, but then when it turns good again you almost forget why you were moaning 2 months prior. You almost need those bad months to reiterate the tools needed to be pro, you constantly learn from your experiences. As long as you have your finances in hand and dont go too wild during the downswings and you keep a balanced lifestyle you can be ok. I know what it feels like to have months of breakeven whilst still having the obvious expenses going out, its a horrible feeling. But then I look at some friends, for example lawyers who are stuck in the office till gone midnight, have to be in again at 8 get 20 days of holiday time and I think how lucky I am, as hwoever bad it feels I will eventually come good again.

That being said, unless your son/daughter has been doing it long enough and has experienced the downs/ups, has life balance, has brm, doesnt tilt and treats it as a business (of sorts) or at least treats it super professionally, I would not be happy with their decision. Especially in the climate we are in now, there are so many skills to have that basically only come with years of experience, anybody thinking of getting into now without all of those things plus more should stay away from pro poker imo.

Having said that I always look for non poker business things to do, very rarely they ever come to anything but at least I have the time to devote to them somewhat because of poker. I wouldnt want to stay only pro into my 40's etc, I'm 30 now.

Or just bink a WPT and go pro yo.

left handed baseball
right handed poker
easy game

I hope you realize you could substitute many things in there so much so that this statement is meaningless.

The bottom line is living your life teaches you life lessons. Spending most of it at a poker table in your early years might actually be detrimental as far as "life lessons" go.

What, I wonder, would be both relevant in this conversation, and 'something along the lines' of polygamy?

I am raising my children to worry less about what other people think, and more about what they themselves think. Life is too short to be living it based on what others think of you, imo.

Please consider abandoning your family, and leaving the child to be raised by someone else. Kids who grow up with no self confidence and needing therapy are raised by parents like you.

I'm 44, and I am married with two kids.

You do the same thing anyone who is responsible and takes responsibility for others does who gets laid off, or downsized, or fired, or otherwise meets career difficulty. You get another job. You work two jobs. You change careers. Being a poker player is no different. You're either responsible and mature, or you aren't. Plenty of people who aren't poker players have huge life leaks that cause significant problems with regard to family finances.

Please see my above response re: considering abandoning your family. A person who says "people with these attitudes of 'as long as my kid is happy, I'm happy!' logic is mind-boggling" is a person who really doesn't need to be bringing children into the world. Parents who think the way you do are why there are so many child psychologists.

Please point out where anyone in this thread said that it was a goal to make $30/hr. That number was trotted out as a hypothetical, reasonably attainable but modest amount that a winning lower stakes player could reasonably achieve...not a 'goal.'

Your reading comprehension is only outdone by your amazing child rearing insights.

I think your post is one of the most depressing things I've ever read. Please don't have more kids.

I guess that 30$/h talk is meant to be only usa?

Because where i live making 5k$ a month is considered baller. Ppl at government make that kind of money. min. salary is 290€/month and avg salary is 800€/month.

Wtf is the criteria anyway to be a pro? All it means you earn enough money so you can support youre living.

99.5% of people who claim to be a professional poker player on this site don't meet that criteria.

please make your gf/wife have an abortion. It's pretty obv you will make a ****ty father. Like really really bad...

I hope your whole posting is a level.


+1

Oh no, it's 100% serious. If you think I'd want my kid to spend their time in a casino playing poker for a living I think one of us is really wrong. I'm betting it's you, not me.

Agree with this 100%....the people in the thread suggesting that not/hr is nowhere near enough to sustain a normal lifestyle are completely out of touch. They may be an intelligent college kid with a bright future, but they have either absolutely no grasp on the real world, or have only closely interacted with adults who do not. By no means am I saying they will live a lavish lifestyle, but that individual could live above the poverty line.

Actually it's probably exactly the reverse. The attitude you describe is prevalent in American society. It's said all the time. "As long as they are happy, I'm happy". This attitude is everywhere, and I'd argue it's detrimental.

American culture coddles their children and creates serious gaps in motivation and work ethic. Every person I know who is wildly successful was either pushed in that direction or had an inner drive/work ethic that drove them to that level. Most were pushed by their parents.

The world is full of smart, unsuccessful people. I absolutely think a large % of poker players have the ability to be successful in careers, but they are lazy. They don't want to put the work and effort in to be successful in the traditional way. They want the "freedom" of being able to sleep as long as they like and play whenever they want, without even realizing they really can't do that if they truly WANT to be successful.

There are specific reasons why certain ethnic groups are in higher income brackets than others. Is it race or ethnicity? Obviously not. It's culture. The culture of education and hard work and work ethic. These forces have an effect on people, and if you think this is a negative effect... well, lol.

This thread is about a parenting view, and it seems I'm one of the only ones who is taking the "against poker playing" view. Poker as a hobby or a side gig isn't a big deal at all. As a career? lol. No.

Who is really out of touch here? 30 dollars an hour is unskilled labor wage. I've already given the examples of a fresh college student at 22 years old being able to make that the second they get their degree. Would you argue it's that difficult to achieve? I'd argue 30 dollars an hour is ridiculously easy to achieve if you finished school and had a decent major. If not at first, within 3 years.

If I could live off 12k a year does that prove any point? Making 30 dollars an hour is absolutely livable. Is it desirable? No, and definately no if you live in a metropolitan area.

"No grasp on the real world". Let me ask you - what does a professional poker player who makes 30 dollars an hour have as far as real world advantage over an "Intelligent college kid with a bright future"? Being able to shuffle chips?

The answer is there IS none. You're kidding yourself by saying these things. You think a room full of poker players all look at a guy working in a good career making a good salary all laugh at that person deep down inside, or do you think maybe most of them wouldn't mind trading hanging out with a bunch of losers all day trying to grind out 300 dollars for that "no grasp on the real world" guy's life?

wil is totally right here...everybody else is straight up dreamin

i heard JJProdigy's granny played a bit

Ya, the world is even more full of people who were pushed by their parents in directions that they don't want to go.

It is sad that you can't find commonality between teaching your children a good work ethic, and valuing their own sense of happiness and satisfaction. I believe that your heart is in the right place mostly, but your ideas are badly misguided, and are destined to create resentful, miserable children regardless of how "wildly successful" they are.

Good luck.