Gambling, Fun or Child Abuse

T loves football. T dreams football. T lives for football. T doesn't play football.

T doesn't like the bruises he accrued when he played full tackle football. T loves the sport of football. If he could, he would eat, sleep and breathe football. He prefers professional football over college, but he watches college as well. He also loves all football video games. The first thing in the morning and the last thing at night is ESPN. He knows players. He knows stats. He studies injury lists. He knows football.

So it's only right that I promote and support my 12.75 year old son to gamble in a football pool. He has participated for the past several years. Maybe I promote and encourage his excitement in the game by having him participate; however, years past when he's been knocked out, his interest throughout the season continues to the same level.

This year, T is still in the pool. I never make him pay the entrance fee to play. He does however know how much he could potentially win if he wins the pool. This year, in the Survivor football pool, there were 52 people. After week #16, T and two others remain. T has studied the odds for this week, he's studied the remaining two people's choices and who he believes that they will pick (as a team cannot be picked twice by a single person in the season). He takes this very seriously. I wonder if it is too seriously.

T told me his dad asked him what he was going to buy him or give him with his winnings. What? He said he told him, "nothing". I said he should give him a "high five". T thought that was funny. His dad is apparently saying that he needs to remember who is buying him Christmas presents! I said, "Yes. Your mom is buying you Christmas presents and it is because of your mom that you are in the pool."

So again, I wonder, am I promoting gambling of my pre-adolescent teen? Is that a form of child abuse? Would it be child abuse if he won and I didn't give him his winnings? Think of what I could do with that money!!! Ok, I'm seriously kidding. He did the research, he took his passion and his love of the sport and is doing well in a strategy and luck pool. If he wins, I can only hope that he will remember who paid his entrance fee! Afterall, he's done very well this season but he's still a world away from winning. Kind of like my Thanksgiving Day square where all I needed was the Lions to score a field goal in the last three minutes of the first quarter and I would win $240. So close and yet...impossible!