should I feel guilty about this?

[slihawk]

Ive been taken my son to the track since he was a baby just like my father did. He'd would always come to the picnic area and play with his friends he met there and not pay too much attention to the track happenings
Id give him $10 and he would spend it on kid things ice cream soda ect
Well now he's 13 (voice changing liking girls and handicapping!)
Now when I give him the $10 he waits until RD has a mount going off 5-1 or higher and bets $2 to win. If he loses he waits again..now mind you he did this on own. Now if he hits which he"s been doing lately he will switch to a P3 or P4 and tris. He looks at program which he calls book) drives me crazy its a program!! Then he goes around to me and friend and ask who they like. He puts his own tix together and I bet it for him (illegal?) it never more that $4 total.
Well he's on some streak, he has hit a P4 a couple of 3's and his first tri
I think Ive created a handicapping genius

What do you think?

[DJofSD]

Make him start keeping records.

[horses4courses]

Make him start keeping records.

And don't forget.....you're going to be picking up the tab on any signers ;)

[the little guy]

If RD stands for Ramon Dominguez ( I hate abbreviations ) then I am very confused by the story.

[turninforhome10]

If RD stands for Ramon Dominguez ( I hate abbreviations ) then I am very confused by the story.
Most likely RD Allen Jr (Ronald Dale).

[tonypp]

My father was pro gambler,for the first 30 years of my life his word and views were Bible to my thoughts.The last 5 years of my life ive realized what the **** have I gotten my self into. So to answer your question,would I take my son to the track and make bets for him HELL NO!

[Light]

Ive been taken my son to the track since he was a baby just like my father did. He'd would always come to the picnic area and play with his friends he met there and not pay too much attention to the track happenings
Id give him $10 and he would spend it on kid things ice cream soda ect
Well now he's 13 (voice changing liking girls and handicapping!)
Now when I give him the $10 he waits until RD has a mount going off 5-1 or higher and bets $2 to win. If he loses he waits again..now mind you he did this on own. Now if he hits which he"s been doing lately he will switch to a P3 or P4 and tris. He looks at program which he calls book) drives me crazy its a program!! Then he goes around to me and friend and ask who they like. He puts his own tix together and I bet it for him (illegal?) it never more that $4 total.
Well he's on some streak, he has hit a P4 a couple of 3's and his first tri
I think Ive created a handicapping genius

What do you think?

Right now your kid sounds like he is doing everything a good handicapper should with qualities a good handicapper needs to be successful. Eventually his age and inexperience will catch up to him and that's when you will have to enter as a mentor and parent. What happens at that point will greatly depend on how you handle it whether what you say is right or wrong. Establish a connection now (if there is not one yet) and your kid will more likely listen to what you have to say come crunch time.

[JustRalph]

Take a picture of him with the form. Email it to everyone you know. He is that hidden gem. The pot at the end of the rainbow. Prove he exists. He is a new player!!

The rarest of beasts

[thaskalos]

Ive been taken my son to the track since he was a baby just like my father did. He'd would always come to the picnic area and play with his friends he met there and not pay too much attention to the track happenings
Id give him $10 and he would spend it on kid things ice cream soda ect
Well now he's 13 (voice changing liking girls and handicapping!)
Now when I give him the $10 he waits until RD has a mount going off 5-1 or higher and bets $2 to win. If he loses he waits again..now mind you he did this on own. Now if he hits which he"s been doing lately he will switch to a P3 or P4 and tris. He looks at program which he calls book) drives me crazy its a program!! Then he goes around to me and friend and ask who they like. He puts his own tix together and I bet it for him (illegal?) it never more that $4 total.
Well he's on some streak, he has hit a P4 a couple of 3's and his first tri
I think Ive created a handicapping genius

What do you think?

You say that your dad took you to the track ever since you were a baby...and that you, in turn, have done the same to your son. My question to you would be...do you feel that your father did you a FAVOR by exposing you to this game from such an early age? Do you feel that you have BENEFITED by your father's actions in this regard...or do you feel that this early exposure to the game was detrimental to how your life eventually panned out?

If your exposure to this game from such an early age turned out to be a good thing in your life...then I can see why you might think that your son should go through this as well. But if you have suffered as a result of it...then I can't, for the life of me, see why you would push your son towards a similar path.

My own opinion is that gambling is very addictive...and that impressionable young kids should not be exposed to it -- even in a limited way. A $4 bet may seem insignificant to YOU, but it may be very significant to a 13-year-old. Growing up in today's society is hard enough, even without exposing our young ones to outside pressures that they are ill-equipped to handle.

Gambling can be a pleasurable hobby to an adult...but to a kid, it's nothing but a horrible vice.

[woodtoo]

If you like your bet,you can keep your bet.

[jk3521]

Ive been taken my son to the track since he was a baby just like my father did. He'd would always come to the picnic area and play with his friends he met there and not pay too much attention to the track happenings
Id give him $10 and he would spend it on kid things ice cream soda ect
Well now he's 13 (voice changing liking girls and handicapping!)
Now when I give him the $10 he waits until RD has a mount going off 5-1 or higher and bets $2 to win. If he loses he waits again..now mind you he did this on own. Now if he hits which he"s been doing lately he will switch to a P3 or P4 and tris. He looks at program which he calls book) drives me crazy its a program!! Then he goes around to me and friend and ask who they like. He puts his own tix together and I bet it for him (illegal?) it never more that $4 total.
Well he's on some streak, he has hit a P4 a couple of 3's and his first tri
I think Ive created a handicapping genius

What do you think?

Let me know if you want to put him up for adoption! :D :D

My step-son is 32 and isn't good at anything!

[cnollfan]

My dad and granddad (mom's dad, not dad's dad) both took me to the track many times when I was a kid and I fell in love with it.

If I had a different lifetime passion, would I be richer and more successful now? Probably. Would I be happier? Probably not.

[jk3521]

It's not unusual for a teenager to look for an "easy" way to make money. Better this than selling drugs! But neither are good.

[dasch]

I have a 3 year old son and I have spent some time thinking about how I am going to handle this in the future.......

As much time as I spend on creating numbers, handicapping, etc there is no way to prevent him from being curious and asking questions. When he does I respond to him as thorough as I can so he roughly understands what I am doing. He has already shown an interest in the horses and the races and being around it so much with me I guess that is to be expected. Later on if he wants to learn more and how to read the racing form, understand more about what the fractions and times mean, etc, I will be as helpful as possible. Its not against the law for him to buy and read the form, nor is it illegal for him to pick a favorite horse and root for that horse to win. However it IS illegal for him to place a wager whether directly or indirectly through me. So that is where I will draw the line. I want him to understand completely what and why I do what I do but when it comes to the gambling side of things I am going to explain to him that until the day he turns 18 that will be off limits. NO EXCEPTIONS.

There is so much more to enjoy from horse racing other than the chance to win money, and if he is truly interested he will learn to love those things 1st. I think he will appreciate the game much more in the long run.

I also have a baby daughter, but im going to let her turn 1 and learn to walk 1st before I think about how am am going to handle it with her, but it will probably be similar. Only she probably will want to actually get/buy the horses lol so I think it gets more complicated with her.

[DJofSD]

My son is not the least bit interested in horses or betting races.

But he thinks he's got game when it comes to golf. I've used this on occasion when we've played a round with his uncle. He gets really motivated to play his best and to persevere when things do not go as expected.

So, the wagering becomes a means to an end and winning some pocket cash is a side benefit.

[slihawk]

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies....

I also have a daughter who's now 25 and has no interest in racing and I did the same thing with her..She's a graduate of Columbia so I must of did something right
Some disclaimers; I don't take him all the time and he doesn't always want to come...It has to be better than playing those video games, He's a very good boy tries in school and respectful to adults which I insist on

I love my horse racing hobby (not an addiction) Im sure there are plenty of negative stories about our sport but if you respect the gambling aspect and treat it like a hobby and not a way of life and death. I guess for some that's not so easy
Now I do know people that have a problem and have no business at the track and I do point those people out to him in a respectful way
On a positive side it has improved his math tremendously because I make him figure out the bet cost odds and all....

Im going to be careful with him but he will probably go the way of my daughter and lose interest when he starts doing his teenage things but tis a nice father son thing we both enjoy. And yes I do throw the ball around and other things with him.

This board is great
thanks all

Raining at Tampa probably no Turf dang

[Robert Goren]

There is always a risk when you introduce someone to something that can become addictive. You have live with yourself when it goes wrong.

[slihawk]

your right Robert that's why I posted this thread
I wanted to get opinions and know Im going to stay aware of the perils
but its such a great sport....I guess its like anything else drinking, sex it all bad if you don't respect the downsides Well maybe sex is a bad example (that comment could be trouble)

Ok enough of the serious stuff..Tampa's open!!!

[DJofSD]

One of my favorite comic strips to read when I was a kid was "Rick O'Shea." The main character was a sheriff and his foil was the man in black who had a sampler over his bed that read something like "all things in moderation." Of course, he sometimes did not follow the prescription.

But it is good advice.

The other thing I have told my son many times: just because you can do something does not mean you should.

Learning about gambling from his dad is better than learning it in some other circumstance. If you set the example of what is prudent then you should be OK.

Remember you are his first and best teacher.

[Dave Schwartz]

If anyone has read my bio, you know that (as I say) I was brought up with a deck of cards in one hand and a pair of dice in the other. My father's logic was: "Some day you will learn to play cards. You might as well win."

That's how I became a jam-up gin player by age 11 and why my father stopped playing me for money about that time. I recall more than one story of me bailing him out of a bad loss after he came to me and said, "I lost $200. Can you get it back for me?"

As a parent, I have worked hard to do the exact opposite of what my father did.

I am not being critical of the OP. I would do it differently.

Perhaps the boy has learned that the $10 is a free shot at making money. Hopefully he knows that it is only a free shot because it was not his money to begin with.

[Ocala Mike]

I took both my now 46-year old son and 39-year old daughter to the track with me on numerous occasions. My son never got seriously interested in the game, and had a lot of difficulties "growing up." Finally found himself in his late 30's. My daughter, on the other hand, really caught on to it, and we had no "growing up" problems at all with her. Today she's an astute handicapper, and does very well in the many on-line contests, having won the WinStar contest a few years back which got her a trip to their farm and box seats for the BC at CD in 2011. You just never know!

[slihawk]

Hey Dave lets see if he ask for his stipend this weekend

I picked him up from school and he started counting his money
I told him if you ever take that much cash to school Ill take it from you
Then I borrowed $10 lol

[Robert Fischer]

It's like anything else that requires a level of responsibility and discipline to wield.

I wouldn't introduce young relatives to the game, but a son or daughter, sure.

[Redboard]

I must warn you that I don't have any kids, but I think you should encourage his handicapping ambitions, however, I don't think he should be betting real money, even with you as his proxy, until he learns more about it. I would teach him to read the past performances (bris ,drf, timeform, etc) and think up some way to where he could make "pretend" bets(such as logging onto PA and using the "Selections" forum). Tell him that if he makes money(play) this month, you'll bet real money next month; or some kind of deal that will give him incentive to learn the game. Who knows, maybe he'll win enough so you both can retire. And maybe you'll buy me a vacation home around Gulfstream for giving you this idea. Well, I warned you, I don't have any kids.

[NJ Stinks]

It is a tough call, Slihawk.

On one hand, I myself would never introduce horseracing to a niece or a nephew (no kids myself). The reason being because any game with a 20% takeout is almost impossible to beat over time. Better the kid learns how to play craps or blackjack.

On the other hand, this game is one tremendous hobby. And it is one you can enjoy late in life just as much as you did 50 years earlier.

At any rate, I guess you won't know if you have anything to feel guilty about for years to come. One thing is for sure - I hope it turns out to be a great thing for your son and you.

[Shelby]

I wish that I had a father that could teach me and take me to the track. I'd say your kids are lucky to have you!

[GaryG]

When my oldest son was 15 I had him for the weekend. I took him to the races on Saturday afternoon and then to the movies to see Animal House. Before we left to take him home he called his mom and told her what a good time he had. When we arrived she was standing on the porch with her hands on her hips (really). She said she wanted him to go to college and not to the racetrack like me. I told her that I did both, but that didn't matter. Then she started in on Anima House, so I drove away with her voice trailing off. My son Alan graduated from college and has had a successful career. He was never too interested in racing. His mother is still a bitch....:lol:

[slihawk]

ha ha

Im afraid my son's bragging at school
so this could go two ways

1..Social Service visit

2..a car load of 13yo's in the car with me this weekend

[DJofSD]

You'd better sit him down and explain to him a few things about bullies and thieves. He needs to understand that while he's bragging to his buds they will repeat the stories to others. Those others will not be his peeps and he could regret them knowing things about him.