Will the Twentysomethings Ante Up at the World Series of Poker?
Parent, educator and author of Talkin' About Poker: Straight Talk for Parents and their Players; Loren Ackerman has first hand experience in parenting a college age child who loved the game of poker, especially No Limit Texas Hold'em. Her new book promotes parent education, tips for communicating with college age children and observing behaviors to determine if poker is being played in a healthy way or leading to a dangerous lifestyle.
Hackettstown, NJ (PRWEB) June 27, 2006
Poker. It is everywhere and thousands of college kids are playing with vengeance. The World Series of Poker in Las Vegas has begun with an expected 7,000 attendees. Many of these competitors will be the twentysomethings who have been playing for months in their dorm rooms or at local tournaments to prepare for their adventure of achieving the brass ring, or should I say the gold WSOP bracelet. The final results will record the realities.
In the meantime, it is estimated that 1 out of every 3 college student is playing poker. Some casually, some seriously and some dangerously. What’s the big deal? The statistics can be frightening for any parent whose college age child is participating in this new craze. In a September 2005 study on gambling addiction by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, 54.4% of young people who gambled every week reported at least one serious “problem” as a by-product.
Does this statistic mean that every young adult that plays poker will have a problem? No; not all players will become addicted. What does it mean? It means that parents need to observe their kids poker behaviors. How? Education, communication and evaluation are the means to determining if a young poker player is headed for danger. Answer the following questions:
What do I know about my child and poker? What poker games does my child play? Does my child play live games or use the internet? How often does my child play poker? How do I know this game is not becoming a problem for my child?
Parents need to be aware of the amount time spent on playing poker and diligently observe behaviors to determine if their college kids are playing safe or headed down a dangerous path.
Contact
Loren Ackerman
High Powered Publishing
908-852-0322
Www. talkinaboutpoker. com
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