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darkhorsechris t1_je9frjg wrote

My dad used to work for Parx casino. He said they used to patrol the parking lots bc it is common for this to happen. Wtf

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MonsterNog t1_je9k5mb wrote

When it was a horse track my dad used to leave me outside in a mercury monarch with the windows down and a promise he will be right back

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svenEsven t1_je9q1oy wrote

My mom would regularly do this any time we came back from anywhere and we could pass by a casino. I'll be right back always meant 4hours later.

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MonsterNog t1_je9qkbu wrote

My mom would dip across the street to the bar and stay there til like 2am but at least we were home and it was across the street, my dad would leave me somewhere without telling me he’s headed to Delaware for the weekend

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svenEsven t1_je9qu1r wrote

Yeah, my mom was a bartender, so out until 3-4 every night, and my dad was not around. We were just latchkey kids, I was babysitting my younger siblings since I was 10.

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MonsterNog t1_je9r41q wrote

Why is our story so common, it’s really not hard being a half decent parent. I have depression and I believe it’s because I’m disappointed being a good dad wasn’t harder. Like, why aren’t I craving meth and alcohol, why aren’t my wife and I beating each other to a pulp.

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svenEsven t1_je9rxvq wrote

I went the other route there, seeing a dozen failed relationships and how shitty kids can be treated made me never want kids or a wife. I'm 36 with no interest in relationships with other people for the most part. Which I'm sure is some form of depression. Idk. The upside is that it taught me to be better to people than my parents were.

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a-german-muffin t1_je9rygw wrote

> Why is our story so common, it’s really not hard being a half decent parent.

It's harder than it looks. Plus, there's a shitload of generational trauma rippling through, especially if your parents were born close to postwar (say up until about the early '60s). Hell, my dad literally told my mom that she was going to have to handle the kids because he "had no idea how to be a parent."

Best we can do is try to avoid the same mistakes with the next generation and give our parents what grace we can for their transgressions.

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catjuggler t1_je9sgel wrote

Well it is probably hard to have childcare when you work nights and are a single parent

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Master_Winchester t1_jea1ne2 wrote

It is hard. It requires effort, constant effort. If you are forced to work 1 awful job let alone 2 or 3 to provide food and shelter, what capacity do you have left to take care of your children? It's not an excuse, because in most cases having children is a choice. But it's the reality that our society forces people into. There are not enough well paying jobs for people to realistically support themselves and their families.

Absent parents (due to their own choices or societal flaws or a combo) routinely end up with children that have no moral guidance, no structure, respect for society, or their fellow citizens.

It makes sense how we get here, even if it's not acceptable. We need to help elevate people out of extreme poverty and overwork for their kids to have a better chance.

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AndrewHainesArt t1_jea8djn wrote

Since you’re getting the opposite, you’re right, no it’s not hard to be a half decent parent regardless of your situation.

Some parent don’t want their kids to see their struggle and others don’t care, I’ve seen both and there’s no common denominator other than your own self motivation as a parent, and hopefully you have it. There’s a balance and it shifts throughout life, but ultimately I agree it’s not that hard to not be a complete fucking retard as a parent. That doesn’t mean it isn’t hard, plenty of people struggling with life are still good parents, it’s not an excuse.

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NO-25 t1_je9w59r wrote

It is easy only if you are able to think empathetically, something that is becoming a rarity. People pretend and even trick themselves into thinking they are an empath, when in reality they are just kindly manipulating others to gain something. People do nice things more often than not because they want others to have a positive opinion of them instead of actually wanting to make the person happy.

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jfVigor t1_jeagf88 wrote

Thats so sad. But probably made you tough

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svenEsven t1_jeah95l wrote

Maybe more callused than tough. But yes, I think so.

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asforus t1_je9nczp wrote

Went to pickup some milk huh

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MonsterNog t1_je9p6sx wrote

We knew he was a degenerate as kids, well I did the others were oblivious. I can’t even say my dads name without Italian dudes following me after. Seriously that’s not a joke, I was in college and someone asked what my dads name was because my last name is kinda prominent around here and the next day some dude named Liuzi or whatever was waiting outside my school asking where he was and I gave him his exact location because fuck him. He messed with the bikers, the IRA, the unions, we had dudes snorting coke off dollar store monkey placemats at our kids table for dinner. I’m getting riled up because I hated my dad and the day he died is coming up fast so I’m kinda rambling. He charged his friends to rape my 4 year old sister, tried drowning me in a toilet then a pool knowing I couldn’t swim, tried stabbing my brother, tried electrocuting my mom. God I wish I coulda been what killed him.

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asforus t1_je9pvlp wrote

Wow wtf dude. You prob would have been happy if he went out for milk and hadn’t come back. Sorry man.

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MonsterNog t1_je9q5eo wrote

It’s all good, I’m a much better dad than he was and that makes me proud

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a-german-muffin t1_je9s3jl wrote

Best revenge on a shitty parent is being the best one you can for your own munchkins. Good on you.

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MightyBroseidon t1_jea2wq8 wrote

One Dad to another, I'm proud of you dude. Way to give your kids the chance your father never gave you; having a father who gives a shit and loves his kids.

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MonsterNog t1_jea4v9x wrote

Thanks man, youtube has been my dad for a lot of crap but I’m actually going and looking for videos for help so I guess that’s somethin

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MightyBroseidon t1_jea5kko wrote

You're trying and thats what counts. Your kids will remember that, even if you get stuff wrong being engaged and trying is the thing that will stand out.

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DefinitelyNotLola t1_jeade6v wrote

Same. Sometimes we'd be little assholes and move the car to see if they would noticed. They never did.

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igglesfangirl t1_je9ya5p wrote

I live near Parx. There were so many stories about kids being left in the car while adults gambled when my son was in elementary school. He's 22, and we still tell him we're leaving him in the car while we gamble every time we drive by. Just our running joke. It became funnier when he got old enough to say, "No problem, I'll walk."

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BigHmmEnergy t1_jeanleg wrote

Gambling’s an addiction. You’re gonna see crackhead behavior at any casino and that includes bringing your kids with you to get your fix

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DrPremium t1_jeasipu wrote

the kids just don't understand investing in slots yet... they will be thankin' em when their parents come back with pockets full of dough! Definitely this time or maybe next!

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Hib3rnian t1_je9gkbo wrote

If these casinos were smart they'd just open a pay by the hour daycare and be done with it.

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fuckouttaheawiddat t1_je9lvvb wrote

Addicts would gamble away all their money and then wouldn't be able to pay the daycare fees

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dsbtc t1_je9qgnk wrote

The house wins either way

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fuckouttaheawiddat t1_je9raol wrote

Seize the kids then sell them to states that have gutted child-labor laws

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Easy-Reading t1_je9vq54 wrote

It's wild what's happening. AR is about to show us why child labor laws were originally enacted.

Earlier this month Arkansa enacted the Youth Hiring Act of 2023. Under the new law children under 16 don't have to get the Division of Labor's permission to be employed. The state also no longer has to verify the age of those under 16 before they take a job. The law doesn't change the hours or kinds of jobs kids can work.

"Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders believes protecting kids is most important, but this permit was an arbitrary burden on parents to get permission from the government for their child to get a job," communications director Alexa Henning said in a statement to NPR. "All child labor laws that actually protect children still apply and we expect businesses to comply just as they are required to do now."

Workers under 16 in Arkansas have had to get these permits for decades.

Supporters of the new law say it gets rid of a tedious requirement, streamlines the hiring process, and allows parents — rather than the government — to make decisions about their children.

But opponents say the work certificates protected vulnerable youth from exploitation.

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Redpandaling t1_jeaacum wrote

Good lord, I did not know Arkansas elected Trump's press secretary as governor . . .

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frankoceansheadband t1_jea7gil wrote

Meanwhile, the same state government is trying to “protect children” by banning drag

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justasque t1_jeaezxl wrote

In PA you literally get working papers at your high school. And, as I vaguely remember it, it was in part an exercise in learning the rules, so if your employer violated them you knew. But now in AR there will be no moment when either employer or employee or employee’s parent is reminded of the rules. That’s not going to end well.

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Hib3rnian t1_jea5ogq wrote

Easy fix. Casinos operate on cards that monies are applied to from players for use on machines, tables, etc.

So players would use the casino card to check the kid into the daycare.

This is when the clock starts.

The balance tracker sets a "Not to go below" threshold on the balance that meets some set max timeframe for the kid to be in daycare (say 4hrs to keep the child advocates happy).

When the parent hits that amount threshold or time limit, their card freezes and they have to get the kid.

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fuckouttaheawiddat t1_jea8080 wrote

This definitely would work well for me, probably you, and the majority of the population, but feels like it could become enabling for people with gambling addiction. It's an excuse to drag the kids there more often since at least they'll be in someone's care. We're talking about the kind of gamblers who wear adult diapers to the casino so they don't have to leave the slot machine to take a piss. One bad news story about how casino daycare enabled someone to blow their rent money and it's a PR nightmare.

On the upside, the regulars' kids will get to know each other really well if they're in casino daycare together, so I guess they can build solidarity/friendships out of it.

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Hib3rnian t1_jeaneyj wrote

I guess the question becomes, do you not implement a solution that provides care for children of gamblers to avoid enabling addicts or do you provide a service that potentially saves a child(s) life but possibly enables/furthers gambling addictions of parents?

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fuckouttaheawiddat t1_jeb1dxj wrote

I guess it would boil down to how much it would cost (in actual costs plus the cost of making a potentially bad PR move). I would be really surprised to find out the casino industry hasn't done any inquiry into the idea and decided against it already, because on its face it seems logical if they want to attract customers. I wouldn't think the industry would start up daycare operations for any altruistic reasons

ETA other people have posted that some local casinos in Vegas do this already, so it must make sense for them.

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obi-jawn-kenobi t1_jea6fw7 wrote

That's why you prepay before you gamble.

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fuckouttaheawiddat t1_jea9ie6 wrote

Hey if casinos wanna implement it and communities are in support, I'm not gonna stop them.

If casino management thinks running a daycare is worth dealing with any PR nightmares over news stories about enabling people to blow their rent money, then they'll figure out a way to do it. Considering how much money the collective gambling industry makes, I would be shocked if they already haven't run the numbers and scenarios and decided it's not a good business decision.

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nalgene_wilder t1_je9itz8 wrote

They're already money printers, why would they waste even a dollar on something that would just be a liability?

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kekehippo t1_je9jwi6 wrote

Less bad publicity because as you know people are idiots and will leave their kids in a locked car in summer with the windows up. If I were the casino I would hedge people's idiocy to avoid headlines like "Dead children locked in car in front of Casino"

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nalgene_wilder t1_je9lexc wrote

People, particularly casino regulars, aren't going to be turned away in the unlikely event someone leaves their kid to die in a car. When has that ever hurt a company's business?

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FrankTank3 t1_je9zpxl wrote

New development, construction, or change of ownership are all subject to government oversight and involvement. If I owned a casino and wanted to start a new project subject to government interference, I’d rather do it when the public wasn’t pissed off at me and likely to put political pressure on politicians to “do something”.

And then some suit sees a chance to look like a hero and loudly fucks up what was supposed to be normal quiet business as usual.

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Lyeta1_1 t1_je9m1wm wrote

Casinos know this doesn't reflect badly on them, only on the person who left the child. No reason to take on childcare liability.

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fuckouttaheawiddat t1_je9m1bc wrote

It may end up being worse publicity since it would look like enabling people with gambling problems. Checking for kids at the parking lot entrance may work though

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oliver_babish t1_jea0kdn wrote

Especially if there were no limit to how many hours in a 24h period you could leave your kid there.

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Ams12345678 t1_je9uo0x wrote

That won’t stop gamblers from going to the casino.

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svenEsven t1_je9qdic wrote

The same reason they give out free hotel rooms, because then people can come gamble with more ease.

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nalgene_wilder t1_je9umc5 wrote

Free hotel rooms are easy though. Daycares come with a lot of regulations and liability issues

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TheFutureMrs77 t1_je9zwbh wrote

I remember when the Tropicana had the amusement park.... a core memory of my childhood is when the zipper broke on my outfit (one of those 80's/90's biker short one pieces with shoulder cutouts.... hot pink and purple. A site to behold!) and I was in the bathroom crying, no way to get ahold of my mom & stepdad, and one of the employees came in with her lanyard with all her buttons, and gave me a bunch to button up the front of my outfit, and then took me to the rollercoaster and let me ride a bunch of times. My brother had been somewhere in there too, but since he was older he was too cool to hang out with me and immediately left me to myself. I was probably 7 or 8? We spent so much time there, I actually have some photos I took one Christmas where I drew the AC boardwalk with the Trop as the main focus, and took pictures of my Barbies in front of it like they were on vacation.

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sciencefaire t1_je9q06g wrote

Back when we were kids, AC used to have this indoor amusement park called Tivoli Pier. I think it was at what is now Tropicana. We'd get dropped off and go to town on the games and indoor roller coaster while my parents gambled 🤣

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Its_called_pork_roll t1_jeadqud wrote

I lived near AC and man do I remember tivoli pier.

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sciencefaire t1_jeagz1g wrote

My favorite ride was the really slow Atlantic City history tour ride. That shit was my jam bc the roller coaster eventually gave me vertigo 🤣

I bet I still have those little teeny tiny dice prizes somewhere in a little keepsake box at my parent's house.

Do you remember- was it in the taj? Or Trop?

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DeadSwaggerStorage t1_jea3jo8 wrote

I used to live in Florida….they had 24 hour day care that you could pay by the hour…..the next block had pay by the hour motels……..connect the dots…

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Tony_Blundetto t1_je9tt68 wrote

The Station Square casinos in Vegas do this. I would imagine many don’t because openly offering to watch children is such a huge liability vs the actual benefit.

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lawtechie t1_je9simf wrote

Would that daycare just be a bunch of slot machines?

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Level-Adventurous t1_je9otpg wrote

I don’t think it’s legal. I don’t believe you can have a casino within a certain distance of schools, churches, daycares and stuff like that.

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St_Veloth t1_je9xnji wrote

There's literally one across the street I believe

edit: nvm this was at Live! not Rivers

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Peemster99 t1_jeadw9s wrote

All of the locals-oriented casinos in Las Vegas have them.

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PhillyAccount t1_je9d1j5 wrote

Just wanted to extend another 'thank you' to all the big brains who thought opening a bunch of casinos in Philadelphia were an economic panacea.

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trashpandarevolution t1_je9j5yi wrote

Sports betting will be similarly disastrous for people and their livelihoods

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cold_toast t1_jedzzvy wrote

Let’s give people a casino on their phone what could go wrong??

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randompittuser t1_je9iaw8 wrote

They know it leads to blight. Everyone knows casinos are a bad idea. But the local officials are paid & go along with it.

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oliver_babish t1_je9srf1 wrote

The problem is that once Foxwoods opened in CT and broke the Vegas/AC monopoly, it was more or less inevitable that everyone else was going to compete for that revenue and not lose it to other states.

The best we can do is keep the casinos in places that won't impair better development -- and I think we're okay on that front in Philadelphia -- and tax the shit out of it. And we do: "Total tax revenue generated collectively through all forms of gaming and fantasy contests was $188,976,155* during February 2023."

Obviously, they can be doing better on gambling addiction, especially given how much is spent to promote sports betting at this point, and probably should be more aggressive at banning people from gambling who ever pull shit like this.

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ModeratingInfluence t1_jeeidnf wrote

No. We can do better. We did better for decades and decades before we started populating the east coast with casinos.

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GooFoYouPal t1_je9o0jn wrote

and the local officials get a few key neighborhood people on board who then convince the local mouthbreathers that the casinos will bring MoAr JoBs! to the area. The shit that old school Towners and that stupid fucking FACT Org were pushing when they were pushing to build Sugarhouse was appalling. What an absolute waste of prime riverfront space to build a palace of degeneracy.

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AlVic40117560_ t1_je9j2m5 wrote

I too enjoy when the government tells me what I can and can’t do. Ban casinos! Protect me from my own free will!

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Edison_Ruggles t1_je9jxco wrote

You sound smart. Most people are not. That's the problem.

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AlVic40117560_ t1_je9ktru wrote

Totally agree. I need the government to tell me if gambling, prostitution, abortion, guns, being gay/trans, or drugs are ok. If they say it’s legal, I will then fully participate. If they say it’s illegal, I’ll simply say no thank you. The government serves as my moral campus and their opinions should be forced onto me so I don’t have to make decisions for myself.

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Denki t1_je9vr9f wrote

You’re one of those sovereign citizens aren’t ya? Like you don’t go driving, you go “traveling”. Probably have one of those fake license plates and everything.

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AlVic40117560_ t1_jeals5q wrote

I don’t really see how those two things relate. You think the government should be the one choosing if those activities are ok or “moral”?

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Denki t1_jeaqj0v wrote

Without getting into a checklist, yes I do think that. The government has the obligation to take care of its citizens and often that includes making a moral choice. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but fortunately we have cultural shifts and realize things like “slavery bad” and “women should vote”. This isn’t some weird libertarian free-for-all, which is just anarchy without the cool stuff and usually a lot more racism.

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AlVic40117560_ t1_jeb8rla wrote

But you understand that people still gamble where it’s illegal right? It’s 2023. It’s very easy to illegally do it online. When it’s legal, we can put programs in place like 1-800-gambler to assist those that have trouble controlling themselves. When it’s illegal, it’s shady and there is no oversight. Gambling addiction is very real, but the legality of it doesn’t stop anybody from gambling. It certainly makes it more accessible, but it doesn’t stop anything.

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Denki t1_jebcvly wrote

Of course. Never said ban them; I think cities should definitely think real hard about opening them. A healthy city doesn’t open them. But anyway, I think we do exactly as you said; put programs in place. Programs typically funded and regulated by the government.

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AlVic40117560_ t1_jebh61b wrote

Maybe we’re agreeing on the same premise here. Because I definitely don’t think it should just be a decision made lightly. There are definitely downsides to gambling. Some people can’t handle it. Some shitheads leave their kids in the car for hours at a time. There are risks. Those risks can be mitigated through those programs with funds raised by gambling taxes. There should be oversight and regulation. But at the end of the day, the government shouldn’t be the ones telling people that they can or can’t gamble. People should be able to make their own decisions at the end of the day, but for the few that can’t handle it, there should be programs in place to help them.

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OnionLegend t1_jed7zrs wrote

You need a license to drive a car and you have to drive on the roads the government tells you to. Sounds like they already tell you what to do.

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AlVic40117560_ t1_jed852x wrote

You’re entirely missing the point. You can still drive. It’s just regulated.

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shillyshally t1_je98dnk wrote

I had to look at the date because this has happened before.

https://www.casino.org/news/pennsylvania-woman-charged-leaving-children-in-car/

https://www.mcall.com/2022/10/21/paul-muschick-no-excuse-for-parents-who-gamble-with-their-kids-lives-by-leaving-them-alone-in-cars-at-pa-casinos-2/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cops-pennsylvania-mom-left-boy-9-alone-in-car-to-play-casino-slots/

https://www.thereporteronline.com/2013/07/10/police-toddler-left-in-car-outside-pa-casino/amp/

https://6abc.com/parx-casino-philadelphia-bucks-county-pennsylvania/553111/

https://patch.com/pennsylvania/te/woman-banned-valley-forge-casino-leaving-infant-car

etc.

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drunkcowofdeath t1_je9lc6k wrote

IIRC they literally have signs posted in the parx casino saying don't do it. They need security at parking lot checking cars before they come in or something.

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nnp1989 t1_je9qjjr wrote

I’ve seen those signs at Rivers as well.

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steelydan9918 t1_jea6u82 wrote

Then you'll read the story about how a parent left their child in the trunk to avoid the first security checkpoint...

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SonnyBlackandRed t1_je9qua2 wrote

The signs outside Live Casino are so small you can barely see them until you walk up to it.

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lateavatar t1_je9dkf0 wrote

As a child of the 80’s this would have been perfectly acceptable

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Hib3rnian t1_je9gea5 wrote

..with the car running, sleeping on the backseat deck, zipped up in my highly flammable footie pjs. You can't take those childhood memories away from me 😆

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UnableAudience7332 t1_je9geru wrote

LOL My siblings and I grew up hanging out on the Atlantic City boardwalk while my mom was inside losing our rent money. No one even questioned us.

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fxthea t1_je9ias4 wrote

Is that arcade on the boardwalk still there? I felt like I was there every weekend.

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CaptainCoffeeStain t1_je9sutd wrote

There's a new-ish arcade using converted gaming space on the boardwalk level of some casino now. Pretty nice setup too.

3

GreatWhiteRapper t1_je9swfw wrote

I was just there this past weekend; there's still that one big arcade but they also opened a new one in Showboat that's pretty big and has a ton of games. Shit prizes, but you can win a BMW motorcycle for 2 million tickets.

1

lasion2 t1_je9nsue wrote

Born in ‘82. Mom left me and next oldest brother (‘80) in the car as far back as I can remember. 2 hours in the grand union parking lot as she got some of her own alone time. It was a blast. He and I are best friends to this day. She left the older 3 (‘78, ‘76, ‘75) home, very much alone as well. 🤷🏻. A different time, with different kids.

We could make toast, cook eggs, clean up and do our laundry before we turned 8 years old. There are 6 year olds at my kids school that can’t dress themselves. 8 year olds that can’t tie their shoes. It’s really strange to see.

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Rivster79 t1_je9ondd wrote

The next Mayor should run on a platform of freedom for Casino Car Kids

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lasion2 t1_je9q89v wrote

Id have to see a detailed implementation policy before I back said mayor. 😂

I think an important note is that there were 2 of us. So not “alone”, and car seats were not at all like they are now. They were 2 pieces of wood with a hook to go over the bench seating and they were very easy to get out of. Back then they were designed to stop us from sliding around on those benches, and had no chance at protecting us in the event of a crash.

Being strapped into a modern car seat completely alone for more than a few minutes is not right. If he was running in to cash a lottery ticket or something and was coming right back, I may think differently. If he was chilling at a craps table…

1

courageous_liquid t1_je9vqgu wrote

> There are 6 year olds at my kids school that can’t dress themselves. 8 year olds that can’t tie their shoes. It’s really strange to see.

I'm sure there were then, too, and kids like you now.

12

joeltheprocess76 t1_je9eri4 wrote

If anyone who thought a casino at 8th and market would have been a great idea, it would not have been.

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Neghtasro t1_jeaj3ou wrote

People would just throw their kids on the El to ride up and down all night.

3

frankoceansheadband t1_jea6zbr wrote

Gambling addictions are more serious than most people would ever think. People are willing to throw away their lives and destroy relationships to gamble.

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vivagypsy t1_je9yzbo wrote

As a parent of a toddler, one of my common intrusive thoughts is a situation like this. My child being alone, locked somewhere, and completely afraid and unable to reach me. The fact that an adult knowingly did this makes me so completely ill.

17

TwoTimeTommyTwoCups t1_je9jgxu wrote

This was basically my childhood

11

herpaderpadont t1_je9o3zy wrote

My dad used to take me into the Moose club with him and if I was too rowdy they would spike my Shirley Temple.

Good times.

15

CommunicationTime265 t1_jeac9f2 wrote

After reading half the comments here...I guess I had pretty good parents cus they never pulled this shit. I'd always get dropped off at my grandmother's if they went to the casino.

10

hndsum_dan t1_je9kmih wrote

Small world I was just watching Lucky Number Slevin, gambling is a weird addiction

5

rogue1351 t1_jeajgn5 wrote

Degenerates will degen

5

jnachod t1_jeane8c wrote

/r/ProblemGambling

5

joy4874 t1_jeaekh4 wrote

It's only crazy if the parent doesn't win. (/s)

1

Buddyschmuck t1_jeaphxm wrote

Well if they would just let them go in to drink and gamble they wouldn’t have been in the car now would they?

1

abortionleftovers t1_jeccayl wrote

Oof either way this is sad. Either someone working had no other option and locked their kid in the car while they worked the casino or dude is so addicted to gambling he chose to do this. I feel really bad for this kid. And yeah I remember the 80s/90s when I’d ask my mom if I could wait in the car while she grocery shopped but tbis isn’t that…

1

OnionLegend t1_jed89ww wrote

Oh, if only the casino allowed children to enter with their parents. /s

1

whomp1970 t1_jefdbeo wrote

Wasn't there a scene in Lucky Number Slevin where a degenerate gambler leaves his son in the car? Am I remembering this right?

1