blonde poker forum

I'm having a real tough time deciding whether to go to Vegas for a week in June or not.

Part of me really wants to go, I haven't been since WSOP 2007, and have the opportunity to go with someone this time having gone on my own in 2007 and it sucking that I did that.

The other part of me really doesn't want to leave my 1.5 year old son for that long. I haven't been away from him for more than one night since he was a new-born, and I know he'll miss me and be sad. I know it's something he's not going to remember in the future but I don't want to make him sad!

I'm pretty worried I'll get there and two days later miss him a whole bunch and be feeling super guilty. Obviously it leaves my gf on her own with him, and I'll miss her a lot as well.

Any advice from parents out there would be appreciated...

Cut the cord.  Get him something special while yer away.  Win the world in Vegas.  Come home to weeks worth of choking cuddles from wee Lad.

/thread

I'm pretty worried I'll get there and two days later miss him a whole bunch and be feeling super guilty. Obviously it leaves my gf on her own with him, and I'll miss her a lot as well.


I can guarantee that this will happen.

On phone at mo James but will write my thoughts on this when home cos it is something I have done a fair bit including two weeks in Vegas last year

I think its very much a personal choice, no right or wrong answer. I personally wouldn't want to leave my 2 year old for more than a day or two :) they would be fine though! My little one soon gets over mum or dad leaving the house or being away for a day.

That's a fact.  And that will be the case regardless of what age they are.  

You just have to decide if you can handle it knowing you'll be back soon.  No point going though if you can't keep yer mind on the game while in Vegas.  If that's the case, then book a nice trip with the family instead.  

I would say don't go, my dad went away for a week when i was 2 and I still havent forgiven him.

[  ] thanks for your contribution

I doubt he'll miss you James - he probably just knows you as 'that guy who posts stuff on Twitter when he should be grinding VPPs', just like the rest of us do.

Lol, has Barry hacked into your account??

Btw, thanks everyone for input so far.

I think it depends on your current position as a pro and what you want to go to Vegas for.

Are you going for fun? If so, surely you can wait for a year if this anxiety is getting hard? Your a young guy and Vegas aint going anywhere. If its going to be hard for your Mrs while you are away, wait a year.

Are you going to make money? Do you believe you have an edge? Are you going with a structured plan of what you think you will play? - if so, then its probably worth going, as a business trip.

Main question really is, as a couple, can you afford it? Will it dent the finances if you come back empty handed?

oh and grind vpps

Why not take them with you and go longer ?

Is your lass happy with you going ?

Do you think he'd miss you more now than in a couple of years time ?

He should have the rest of the year off imo.

Theoretical question - how lonely does your girlfriend get when you are away?

Has he returned yet?

Yeah I wanted to do this originally but it's not really fair on Liz if I'm going to play poker and she's stuck in Vegas on her own with a toddler. She's also worried about the flight being too long for him. On top of that her passport is due to expire really soon, and currently she's waiting 'til 3 months before the wedding (at the end of Aug) so she can get one in her married name.

She's okay with it.

I think maybe he'd understand a bit better when he's older? Probs have another one by then and be stuck in a similar situation lol.


She definitely doesn't like it but I think she could probably cope with a week

I think I would go. A weeks not a long time, take a week off from the pokers either side of going and you've seen him more than if you stayed home and grinded.

No - the presents just get more expensive.   rotflmfao

And once they're teens, they book your holidays for ya - so they can have house parties while yer gone.  Enjoy the peace of a trip while you can.

I'm going to Vegas in Sep when my boy will be 14 months, I'm not looking forward as much as I should...!

i struggle with this dilema james and is so hard to deal with. i try to take the family away if it is practical. when i tell the kids i am going to ireland they always say that "daddy is going to pirate island to bring back treasure". the mental aspect of poker means you have to be 100% comfortable with your decision. dont be under any illusion that whilst in vegas you wont miss them an awfull lot. when things are going well things are easier to handle but should games go a bit tits up then you start to think why did i bother and was it worth leaving them. what ever you do make sure you are happy with the decision.

There was someone on blonde that has kids and went to marrakesh, can't remember who it was, maybe  he will be along soon to advise ;)

Is poker ur job? Say u were a 9-5 monkey and u had to go on a course wot would u do then... Ur baby is ready luckier than most and gets to see u
Most of the time he is awake...when mine were babies I got home every night in time to read them a story..it's about perspective of life..ur miss the little one guaranteed but life goes on

nope we are expecting him back soon.

Yeah totally know what you mean. Often when I bust a tournament I just want to go home.


Yeah fair points, a good way of looking at it I suppose...

I'm not a parent so cant really comment :-) But...... dont you think your boy will miss you a lot more ages 2-12 rather than now?

Now or never(well another 10 years) IMO

he also took his 3 babies and wife to vegas + mum + step daughter + step son. all the +'s were to help out with luggage and a spot of looking after the babies. step son come off his motor bike a  week before so was in a wheel chair and mother and daughter were about as much help as a chocolate fire guard. marrakesh flew by mainly coz i got heads up and came home buzzing. on the other hand went to spain this month got aces beat by 86 (twas an 844 flop when he shoved) and then a blind on blind all in pre with me having AK up against AJ. wanted to get the first plane home and we hAD not even made the dinner break

Ahhh, it was Jason that went to marrakesh.

I used to work away Monday to Friday, sometimes in the UK sometimes in Europe all this when my daughter was 5-6 and my lad 1-2. I did miss them and hopefully they missed me but it never had a long lasting effect on them.
Not quite the same as living it up in Vegas but while I was living in Westminster and the family up in the midlands i did feel a tad guilty.

Go for it.

disappointed in this thread. was hoping for a home alone style dilemma

Not half as disappointed as I was with yer terrorising that goose today.  Wait til Tikay finds out.

it went for me bloody legs. it was proper big too

go, skype ftw

Obv just a wee one in training.  A proper big ninja one wouldn't have gone for yer legs after ya gave it such shit.

Doooooooooo it.

[ ] I have some good advice to give in this thread

What?

EXPLAIN!

PS - But don't derail the rappers thread, please.

I was gonna type a long response but:

Cliffs: Just go. As Laxie says when u get back it'll be the best feeling ever to get a mahooosive cuddle and a welcome home from Clark

goose pic is awesome. I was running round a lake today but got between a goose and the water which it didn't like so it went for me; obv I bottled it snoopy style and ran a lot faster to escape

FWIW I went through something similar last year after winning a Main Event seat and had very mixed feelings about leaving behind my wife to single-handedly look after our then 10 month old daughter.  The other options of taking them out there were just not feasible at the time and, ignoring the flight time issues for a moment, how happy would a child of that age be in the Vegas heat or in the (often freezing) air-conditioned buildings.

Provided that your g/f is supportive about you going then you should go if you want to, and you are sure you can cope yourself with the separation.  If you are sure that you're going to regret every moment of being over there then perhaps think again.

The worst time for me was the day after I busted out on day 2, which also happened to be my birthday.  I felt extremely guilty on the day at 'wasting' the opportunity and could have quite easily jumped on the first plane back.  In the end, I managed to get over this and enjoy the remainder of my stay (and I made some money in the cash games and regular Vegas tournaments).

Enjoy the time out there, find a way to stay in contact and make sure you do so each day, and take home a shit-load of presents!

like this post... we flew virgin with twins 11 months and a 24 month old. we were up early and down by the pool then at midday were back in the suite or on a trip. if we had not taken so many family it would have been hard work for my wife whilst i played the poker

James - i thought we had discussed this before

She is not your girlfriend!

oh - and i think you should go - but im not a parent so you can ignore this bit

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

I think my main concern was that my son would miss me too much, but my fiancé (there you go Guy) thinks he'll be okay and like you say age wise it's not going to get any easier.

So fairly certain I'm gonna go for it. I know I'll miss him loads but it's only a week which isn't a long time to go to Vegas for.

What week u going james?

lol thread has to be a level.

If you want your son to grow a pair, you have to first!

pmsl....wait till you find a girl friend...you willinsta lose your pair but god help if you ever get kids

^^^^^

fyp

ty

You'll understand in the future dude. Approximately at the end of time :)

Jason - 10th-17th of June is the plan

phew james thank god you put them dates just jogged my memory. could only remember it was 2009 wsop day 1b when i got married. (played 1a returned for 2a) saw july and remembered i got married on the 4th of july (famous in the states for some reason). please dont get married during the wsop because every year your anniversary is around the wsop and no man can earn enough brownie points to get away with that one

James,
In the early years I have many times sat in a Vegas hotel room and thought to myself 'why are you here?'  I have never had a trip when I haven't had such a thought at some point, come to think of it.  I can tell you it is worth taking iphone/ipad/lappy/whatever and use skype for a video call each day, it makes the world of difference at both ends.