My kids grew up on card games. Before they even started school we were playing blackjack for math skills and poker for matching (pairs and flushes) and sequences (straights). The kids always knew I played poker. I never really talked about my poker playing with others but the cat came out of the bag when in kindergarten Brennan was asked what his parents did for work. His response: “My dad is a teacher and my mom plays poker.” He conveniently forgot that I was the Director of Corporate Training for an international corporation. In the eyes of the boys it is much cooler to have your mom be a poker player.
I am not sure how I would feel about my kids becoming professional poker players. It can be a hard life and is not nearly as glamorous as it can seem. I know many people who grind for a living and they work long hours and have a less than consistent income. As a mom, I would like them to pick an easier, more stable way to make a living. But as a poker player, I secretly would love to be on their rail. We already know the reasons why I am not a professional poker player so having my kids choose this as a profession would be an interesting twist. When the kids started to show an interest in poker it was important to me to share my experiences on my “magic” weekends away. It used to be all they saw about poker is that it bought us a cruise or it allowed us to spend a month in Vegas at a hotel with room service. We all know that this is not the reality most of the time. When the boys started talking about “being a poker player”, I felt it important to start having a poker trip debrief with the boys. I wanted them to see the highs and the lows of this game. I started charting not only my wins and losses, but my mood, my decision-making and other influences like sleep, alcohol, etc. We talked about all the happenings of the trip and hopefully it helped them see the true picture. I knew I was successful when after a losing trip Brennan asked me if I was at least making good decisions. Of course, it is just a glimpse. Playing poker on the weekends and for 6 weeks during the summer with money that I do not rely on to live does not provide a complete view into the world of a professional poker player. I am hoping an open conversation about what I experience in my limited exposure will help. It is important that I show them that it is not all winning and the losing tends to stay with you much longer. I don’t want to be one of those players that only talk about my poker experiences while on a high. I need to share the lows too.
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