Teaching our children to gamble/hussle

Kids

I always told my kids they were not born with "guaranteed" stamped on their butts. I know 'cause I checked.
Given that all of life is a gamble to some degree, I told them they need to control all of the variable that they possibly can in order to control the outcome. It doesn't matter if it is eating, surfing, rock climbing or gambling, the more control they have the better the outcome for them. They are responsible for what happens to them, no one else.
Even so bad things can happen that are out of their control "cause they were not born with "guaranteed" stamped on their ass.
My kids are now mature adults and successful. Maybe that helped!
 
AimingVoodoo said:
You don't learn much in schools.
Click to expand...


There is the problem.

But speak for yourself.

I used pool to get my education.

Shot a lot of pool. Did a lot of school. The pool can't even come close to the school as far as life lessons.

I would even say my academics went a long way toward boosting my pool, much further than my pool went in boosting anything else in my life.

But again....I paid for the first half of my education playing pool. So......
 
TheThaiger said:
Coming from an outsider, the US has a disturbing and unhealthy obsession with money. Obviously money is important, but its value in terms of what it can provide seems lost in the pursuit of it for its own sake. It's an illness in your society but academic now considering the financial whirlwind blowing through the world.
Click to expand...

I whole heartedly agree, but it's not solely only an American problem or obsession anymore. The problem is as old as the bible...greed.

American's just perfected the greed and materialism system. If you ever want to be happier in life...try downsizing and living with less. You will soon find that a new car, house, tv doesn't equate to happiness.

The answers to life and happiness have always been within us and not around us.
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
I SOOO wanted to bite my tongue on this subject but I just can't. Here is the problem: I have been around pool all of my life. I have known a ton of very expert gamblers. They all fell in love early in life with chasing the easy money. And they all die broke and we take up collections here to bury them. NONE of them have ever retired to a life of comfort and ease. Hell, they can't retire at all. No 401 K, no Social Security, nothing. They scrape their whole lives just to get by.

Teaching kids to love the easy money brought by gambling is just stupid. Teach them that when they mow the lawn they get $5 and when they wash the car they get $2 and when they dust the house they get $1. Teach them that there are rewards for honest work that allow them to purchase the things they want in life and that when they do not work they cannot purchase those things. Teach them to love the work-reward ratios, how to discover the best ones and how a great education can ease them into a life above the fray and free from economic worry. Teach them that some day they will be 60 years old and that they need to prepare for that moment from the time they are very young. Teach them that life is not an unconnected series of sporadic events but a process that can be planned and that even lofty goals can be achieved if properly set and followed.

Teach them that easy money is small money with no sticking power. Tell them to be the house, not the sucker at the tables.
Click to expand...

Jerry, you forgot to mention that while gambling is the thing that has always attracted many to the game of pool, it is also the thing that has kept mainstream America from accepting it as a viable sport.

Roger
 
Black-Balled said:
By some measures, perhaps? :confused:
Click to expand...

Many/most intelligent people get MBA's or a similar degree. But that does not mean all people with MBA's are intelligent.

Just look at the scores of MBA's that default on their student loans, and are lined with credit card debt. Those finance classes really paid off LOL.
 
jason said:
I whole heartedly agree, but it's not solely only an American problem or obsession anymore. The problem is as old as the bible...greed.

American's just perfected the greed and materialism system. If you ever want to be happier in life...try downsizing and living with less. You will soon find that a new car, house, tv doesn't equate to happiness.

The answers to life and happiness have always been within us and not around us.
Click to expand...

It sure has. The UK has copied the US, and is worse in many respects. Again, talking from a UK perspective, pool MUST get rid of the thieves, sharks, opportunists and shysters that louse up the place. It needs 'middleclassing'.

BTW I downsized my life 5 years ago - never been happier. It is something we're all faced with now and it'll be interesting to see how people cope. Bath-taking and haircuts all round.
 
Roger Long said:
So you're saying that you should teach your kids how to gamble so that they will know how to manipulate others before they are manipulated by them?

Roger
Click to expand...

Yeah, a bit like the 'why wait for someone else to put your daughter on the game when you can do it yourself' approach to pimping.
 
AimingVoodoo said:
Many/most intelligent people get MBA's or a similar degree. But that does not mean all people with MBA's are intelligent.

Just look at the scores of MBA's that default on their student loans, and are lined with credit card debt. Those finance classes really paid off LOL.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you continue on with theory that a significant% of folks with MBA are worse off with it than without it.
 
Black-Balled said:
Children do not have the social skills to engage in adult activities.

Gambling, sex, work, driving... All bad ideas for children.

Bad idea: I am putting a note in your file.
Click to expand...

Post of the thread.^

These are children, for Heaven's sake...teach them how to share
 
I can live with success.

American obsession with money has made us a very rich and successful country. The highest standard of living for the greatest number of people. It is an "illness" I can live with. You are free to downsize if you want. I support your freedom to choose.
God save me from the "do gooders" who think I don't know what is good for me. My choice is as justifiable under the word "freedom" as is yours. Be assured that most people make their choices with as much awareness as yourself.
 
JAM said:
The world has evolved around repetition; you learn a skill and do it for the rest of your life. One cannot survive in the world today defined by repetition. There must be change.

Success in the coming years will be defined by change. Those who are change-makers will be successful at whatever level of skill they possess.

In today's Age Wave, every 8 seconds, an American turns 65 years old. Those who live a long life are those who can embrace change.

Gone are the days of the mighty road warrior. Today's youth will be taught competitive skills, good sportsmanship, and how to play the game proficiently. There's the change. Gambling won't be attractive to next-generation children. Their interests will reach heights beyond our gaze.
Click to expand...

bullcrap. Kids today gamble more freely with their life and those of their friends. I would prefer they tried their luck at cards and pool for their "thrills" than the Jackass type stuff they see done on tv and the net. There is no magic lesson that we should teach our kids. You do the best with what you have.
 
Jodacus said:
American obsession with money has made us a very rich and successful country. The highest standard of living for the greatest number of people. It is an "illness" I can live with. You are free to downsize if you want. I support your freedom to choose.
God save me from the "do gooders" who think I don't know what is good for me. My choice is as justifiable under the word "freedom" as is yours. Be assured that most people make their choices with as much awareness as yourself.
Click to expand...

Capitalism only tempered by democracy is the reason we have a high standard of living.

Capitalism or greed will not produce a society equality or a high standard of living. Capitalism is the most powerful economic system in the world. Left alone, capitalism will consume itself. If you have ever played Monopoly, at the end of the game only one person ends up will all of the money and property. Unfortunately, we can not just restart society like a game of Monopoly.

Downsizing isn't saying our system is bad. I'm saying we, in general, are to obsessed with materialism. It doesn't take "things" to make one happy, healthy, or fulfilled. Too many people associate wealth with happiness.

Gambling and the pursuit of easy money will most likely lead to unhappiness.
 
Gambling not so bad!

Even though I agree that working for a living is always best, gambling at pool is not so bad. In fact, it is possible to make some decent money on the side in pool. I have went months without going to an ATM because of pool winnings. I call it gas money.

Gambling is not as bad as the compulsive shopping in which you run up credit cards and big debt. At least with gambling you have a chance to make some money IF you play it smart.
 
cheeseroller said:
Even though I agree that working for a living is always best, gambling at pool is not so bad. In fact, it is possible to make some decent money on the side in pool. I have went months without going to an ATM because of pool winnings. I call it gas money.

Gambling is not as bad as the compulsive shopping in which you run up credit cards and big debt. At least with gambling you have a chance to make some money IF you play it smart.
Click to expand...

In any gambling transaction, only one side is gambling. Vegas does not gamble. They always have the odds in their favor. They are conducting business, plain and simple.

If two people are flipping a coin with a 50/50 chance, they are not gambling. They are waisting time! :)
 
AimingVoodoo said:
This topic was inspired by a recent post of someone who was gambling with his son on UFC fights.

In 2011, I think this type of activity is looked down upon by society in general. You might even get your kid taken away for "abuse" I am afraid to say.

But I hold the opposite viewpoint, and I have thought about this for a long while. I am convinced that pool is the best gambling activity to teach to children.

Kids can learn the art of setting the rules so that they could possibly have an advantage. They will learn to watch for people that are just out to hustle them. They will become expert communicators, and not get intimidated by "louder" counterparts.

They will learn to stand up for themselves when someone tries to cheat. They will learn valuable lessons about money.

They can use these tools in their lives every day. I know that when I was 18 and I went to get my car inspected, I didn't know enough to question what the mechanic said was wrong. Now that I have a pool hall education, I'll have a 2 hour discussion with the mechanic to try and get a better price, and knock off a few things that aren't really needed.

This type of stuff isn't covered in public schools. You don't learn much in schools.

Think about the advantage that a child has growing up if he knows how to manipulate people around him. He won't get ripped off by anyone.

I think this is a very important topic. Especially in today's world, when I think our children are way too soft, and easily manipulated.
Click to expand...

Wow. I guess times have changed. When I was a kid I went to dancing school, took music lessons, joined sports teams, had fun summers playing with my friends. Went on vacations with my folks. It was a great childhood. But my parents teaching me gambling? Nah. What the heck for?
 
FranCrimi said:
Wow. I guess times have changed. When I was a kid I went to dancing school, took music lessons, joined sports teams, had fun summers playing with my friends. Went on vacations with my folks. It was a great childhood. But my parents teaching me gambling? Nah. What the heck for?
Click to expand...
I believe the intended result is 'street smarts'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top