Letting kids play on my table

[9 ball]

My god! By the sounds of half the comments on this thread there are some seriously uptight people on here, a table meant to be used, do you honestly think diamond think to themselves let's build a table that's only meant to be looked at & NEVER EVER played on, I don't think so.

It's the same with cues, I'm gonna spend $3k on a cue but I'll never shoot with it, then why buy it then it's all just asinine.

I learned how to play the game at 7 years old on a full size snooker table & I never thought about swinging a cue about why because someone (my father) took the time to teach me.

My advice to the OP it's personal preference but maybe you should set some time aside 15-20 to show the youngsters who would like to learn the basics & then if you so desire close the room afterwards it gives the best of both worlds, the kids learn a new hobby & you get the satisfaction of teaching without worrying about your table.

 

[Bank it]

Let em play. Forbid food & drink, but let em play.

 

[GoldCrown]

So, my son's birthday party is coming up and there will be quite a few kids coming. I have the Jr shark guiding wheels but I still don't want kids playing on my table when I can't keep a watchful eye on them.

I was going to have an adults only rule at first but got to thinking.....I still have the old cloth that I recently replaced. It is in good shape and I could put that on top of the good cloth so I don't have to worry as much about tearing the new stuff. Any thoughts on how to secure it? I could just lay it on top and maybe some velcro strips in the pockets? Under the rails?



Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

Where there is doubt...there is doubt. Do yourself a favor and keep the table closed. It's your property...has nothing to do with us. You are not being a Bad Guy protecting what you enjoy. You'll be real PO'd if something happens.

 

[nick serdula]

I always let the children play on my table

They loved to play all night. Food and drinks are the problem. That and dirty hands.
With that I never had a problem. They are now all grown up. The tables survived.
Nick

 

[spliced]

Had the same issue a month ago. We were having a few kids over for my sons birthday. I immediately said no kids on the pool table. Wife insisted they should be allowed. I finally agreed as long as i could supervise. Big day came. We offered to take the kids down to the basement to see the pool table. They werent interested. All faces were glued to the tv watching eachother play playstation. Pool table remained safe, untouched. Probably a metaphor for usa pool in general...

 

[TheBook]

Had the same issue a month ago. We were having a few kids over for my sons birthday. I immediately said no kids on the pool table. Wife insisted they should be allowed. I finally agreed as long as i could supervise. Big day came. We offered to take the kids down to the basement to see the pool table. They werent interested. All faces were glued to the tv watching eachother play playstation. Pool table remained safe, untouched. Probably a metaphor for usa pool in general...

I never let anyone play on my table unless I was there with them. Most times like you say they aren't interested.

Many times when you forbid something it makes it more desirable. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat of the fruit, what happened?

We were all forbidden to do something at one time and usually it became a challenge to do it.

I always have a full fridge of drinks, and a bar full of liquor. When my kids were younger (under age) I told them and their friends to help themselves, they never touched any of it. Many parents would say that they had to lock up their liquor because the kids would get into it.

 

[deanoc]

Save the whale
Let em play

All sound so good

We are talking about a bunch of little kids who are coming over for a birthday party

Why open the table up to these children,they will be climbing all over it,eating drinking,damaging every piece of furniture in the room with the cues and all for what?
5 minutes of wild bedlam foolishness

1 or 2 kids under some kind of supervision would be different

I think it is crazy to open your table up to this abuse,
the parents can 't control them so when Johnny starts swinging by the chandelier and you have
to say something to the little dear...then you look bad

Believe me it is going to be a big enough problem as it is

Now i might be viewed as an uptight old fogey by some of you here on az
but we run a school and it is difficult to keep things under control but
we do a good job day in day out

but once a year we take the kids to a pizza party along with the parents
the kids go wild,it is harder to get them to behave with the parents present
than it is without the parents

But some of you Az people that care so much about these little fellas getting to love the game early
are invited to send your personal cues along with instructions to be read to the parents and kids about the care and use

Oh,thats different isn't it?

 

[pt109]

But some of you Az people that care so much about these little fellas getting to love the game early
are invited to send your personal cues along with instructions to be read to the parents and kids about the care and use

Oh,thats different isn't it?

Yes, it IS different,

 

[Rubik's Cube]

I would say a treasured pool table and a kids' birthday party is a recipe for disaster. Of course we should encourage our own children to play and teach them as best we can, but twenty or thirty of the little devils overdosed on candy tend to run riot.

Call me a miserable old curmudgeon, but it would be a no from me.

 

[maximillion]

No food or drinks in the same room as the table. Let the kids play.

 

[Ak Guy]

Individual choice

It is up to the individual table owner to make that call. I have an early 80's 9' Rebco with Simonis Tournament Blue 860 HR cloth and the Aramith Super Pro balls and another set of balls I paid 30.00 for. I also have a few kid sized and 3 adult sized cues besides my Diviney cues only I use..

My grand kids live a couple hundred yards away and are 14, 12 and 10. They are free to come over any time with one or 2 friends and play pool. I taught them how to respect the table, cues and balls and explained the cost to them. They are respectful children raised with a firm and loving hand. They know their friends must behave and respect our property or they are not welcome here.

They use the cheaper balls unless playing with me. Food is allowed, but they can not eat if they are playing. So they sit down for a snack and wash hands with the always present bottle of hand cleaner and resume playing when done eating. Drinks are allowed, but are always kept on another table.

The only thing allowed on the table is the rack, balls and shooting hand, that is it, nothing else. Hang on to your cue or put it in the cue rack or lean it in a corner. Don't lay it on the table as the bumper may have picked up some thing I don't want on the table.

My irreplaceable kids, grand kids and friends are worth much more to me then my replaceable table cloth, balls and cues. Life has it's priorities and we all have to decide what they are.

 

[GoldCrown]

It is up to the individual table owner to make that call. I have an early 80's 9' Rebco with Simonis Tournament Blue 860 HR cloth and the Aramith Super Pro balls and another set of balls I paid 30.00 for. I also have a few kid sized and 3 adult sized cues besides my Diviney cues only I use..

My grand kids live a couple hundred yards away and are 14, 12 and 10. They are free to come over any time with one or 2 friends and play pool. I taught them how to respect the table, cues and balls and explained the cost to them. They are respectful children raised with a firm and loving hand. They know their friends must behave and respect our property or they are not welcome here.

They use the cheaper balls unless playing with me. Food is allowed, but they can not eat if they are playing. So they sit down for a snack and wash hands with the always present bottle of hand cleaner and resume playing when done eating. Drinks are allowed, but are always kept on another table.

The only thing allowed on the table is the rack, balls and shooting hand, that is it, nothing else. Hang on to your cue or put it in the cue rack or lean it in a corner. Don't lay it on the table as the bumper may have picked up some thing I don't want on the table.

My irreplaceable kids, grand kids and friends are worth much more to me then my replaceable table cloth, balls and cues. Life has it's priorities and we all have to decide what they are.

Your priorities are in order. As far as equipment etiquette .... Like yourself .. Do it right or don't do it.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

It is up to the individual table owner to make that call. I have an early 80's 9' Rebco with Simonis Tournament Blue 860 HR cloth and the Aramith Super Pro balls and another set of balls I paid 30.00 for. I also have a few kid sized and 3 adult sized cues besides my Diviney cues only I use..

My grand kids live a couple hundred yards away and are 14, 12 and 10. They are free to come over any time with one or 2 friends and play pool. I taught them how to respect the table, cues and balls and explained the cost to them. They are respectful children raised with a firm and loving hand. They know their friends must behave and respect our property or they are not welcome here.

They use the cheaper balls unless playing with me. Food is allowed, but they can not eat if they are playing. So they sit down for a snack and wash hands with the always present bottle of hand cleaner and resume playing when done eating. Drinks are allowed, but are always kept on another table.

The only thing allowed on the table is the rack, balls and shooting hand, that is it, nothing else. Hang on to your cue or put it in the cue rack or lean it in a corner. Don't lay it on the table as the bumper may have picked up some thing I don't want on the table.

My irreplaceable kids, grand kids and friends are worth much more to me then my replaceable table cloth, balls and cues. Life has it's priorities and we all have to decide what they are.

Very good post, sir.

I wholeheartedly agree when it's one's own kids (or grandkids). It's the birthday party bit that worries me; all the good intentions tend to fly out the window... along with everything else!

Kind regards,
RC.

 

[Pushout]

My god! By the sounds of half the comments on this thread there are some seriously uptight people on here, a table meant to be used, do you honestly think diamond think to themselves let's build a table that's only meant to be looked at & NEVER EVER played on, I don't think so.

What makes you think anyone else's table never gets played on? Mine gets played on just about every day. Does yours?? I care about my stuff and I care about my kid and grand kid. If that's being "seriously uptight", so be it.

 

[KRJ]

Depends on the AGE !!!!

If under 12, no way. Just not tall enough, and they will be hitting the rails, and hitting the lights, and just about everything else.... I don't want to spend my time watching them wreck my table.

Son had some friends over (he's 16) and when they got done with video games they hit the pool table... All I told them was don't use my cue, the one on the left.... any other cue is in play, just don't use mine.

They they played a $1 texas hold'em tourney and I played with them... the kid that won was pretty happy with his $6, he is the one that made sure the poker game was for money, the others did not care.

And he likes pool, he can make a shot or two, but he's like an APA 2...... i pulled out a crisp $100 bill and told him you put up your $6, and if you beat me in one game of pool, you win the $100. He JUMPED out of his chair for the shot at a hundo Everyone one of his friends, including my son, told him it was a great idea. It was a one game, winnner take all 8 ball game. I hate robbing kids, but hey, sometimes it's fun

I spent $40 in pizza's so I didn't feel too bad taking his $6

 

[Halfjack87]

Wow! Now here's a thread that stirred up everybody's passion-infused opinions! :grin:

For kids, my thoughts are:

1) Excluding food and drink from the room/area is essential
2) Including at least one adult is essential
3) The whole idea is pointless because they're too short to play.
(told my granddaughter she has to grow another foot before she can play)

For teens, and young adults (my kids and their entourage):

1) If they're alone, we leave them be or play them
2) If its a party/group, I'm pretty much in the room - and show them the house cues
3) If they break something - price of interaction with friends and family, I can afford to fix or replace something... (sigh)

 

[KRJ]

Yes, it IS different,

It should not... I love my table just as much as my cue... and my table cost a lot more.

It's not a toy, it's an expensive hobby/sporting table that dad purchased for himself, not for kids (under age of 12 to goof around on)

Sorry, but no "youngens" on the table (under 12)... more damage to every thing else, dents in rails, etc. No thanks, not worth the hassle for an hours worth of "entertainment".....

 

[GideonF]

Hang on to your cue or put it in the cue rack or lean it in a corner. Don't lay it on the table as the bumper may have picked up some thing I don't want on the table.

Really? Is this a thing?

My longstanding habit is to always lay my playing cue on the table (in front of the rack) while I rack. This does two important things: (1) makes sure my cue doesn't get knocked over or fall over; and (2) prevents an a$$hole from breaking the balls just as I lift the rack off (which of course can result in getting hit in the face with a cue ball).

If this is really causing something to transfer to the table I want to know.

Gideon

 

[RussPrince]

You can hardly trust full grown adults to give a shit what they do to your equipment. I was at a friends house playing pool. It was a mix of mostly non pool players there unfortunately. I left my cue unattended for a few minutes and when I went looking for it where did I find it? On the floor being used as the throwing line for the dart board... I really wanted to punch some faces that night.

 

[chefjeff]

Really? Is this a thing?

My longstanding habit is to always lay my playing cue on the table (in front of the rack) while I rack. This does two important things: (1) makes sure my cue doesn't get knocked over or fall over; and (2) prevents an a$$hole from breaking the balls just as I lift the rack off (which of course can result in getting hit in the face with a cue ball).

If this is really causing something to transfer to the table I want to know.

Gideon

Some guys never put as much as a pebble in the back of their high-priced pickup cuz it might scratch the bed.:scratchhead:

Jeff Livingston