How to combat this?

You always hear about the fact that to get better is not just about playing. One needs to have friends with whom to work ideas through- need to have different viewpoints- then you need to spend time by yourself going over your hands (I've even seen 1 hour for every 3 hours played)

My scenario:

I am 41 years old (gainfully employed - thank god) and my (poker playing) friends don't think about poker anywhere close to what I do
I have 2 kids who need my attention and need to get to soccer and theater
I have a wife who needs to talk and is worried when I spend to much time playing poker

Different scenario:

College kid- super smart- probably doesn't need to go to class
No kids or wife (maybe a super cool girlfriend who is OK with you playing poker)
Supersmart friends who love to sit around and discuss poker while drinking beers or smoking pot

So how do I combat this. There is just so much $ to be made online

That is what Cardschat if for, you can discuss hands with the super smart college kids without having to commit too much time. I don't include myself in that by the way but I try to contribute where I can.

There are a few very successful members here who fit your profile - maybe they will see this and let you know how they are able to balance it all.

Don't sacrifice too much time with the wife and kids - but try to find a way to make time for your poker and help them understand that it is something you really want to try to do. Especially the wife - if you can get her buy in and understanding it will help a lot. Just make sure you save some time for her and that you are sharing the responsibilities of the kids.

As for the friends - this is your place. There are loads of people here who love to talk poker - that's what the forum is all about. Feel free to jump in the threads and join in our events with us.

At some point when there are a lot of responses - show this thread to your wife. I think it would mean something to her that your 3 priorities are listed above - your job, your wife and your kids. You are posting this because you want to be able to play poker without disrupting those 3 important areas of your life.

You could always do what my husband did and hook her up with playing too. (he might regret that now lol)

The way I get through to the wife is by being as open and honest about my results as possible. She doesn't like to hear about the day-to-day or session-by-session swings but I'd say once a week she'll ask how I'm doing and we'll pull up PT3 for a little graph time. Once she understood that I wasn't going to "lose all our savings" and that I may actually make a few $$, she was fine with me playing, as long as it doesn't interfere with the rest of my life.

im a girl and I love playing poker my b/f taught me to play maybe you should teach your wife and you could play together ...just an idea its something we enjoy greatly both

I occasionaly play with my girlfiend. I find it a bonding opportunity also the other opinion helps out. I just wish the breaks were a little longer.