As a parent of a Pokemon player, I have seen some crazy things. Bad trades, horrific misplays, and blatant cheating, are a few of the things that stick out. The only problem is, I have been playing since Pokemon first came out, what happens to kids or parents just into Pokemon and have no idea of the value of their cards or how to care for them.

Playing

 Collecting 

My worst fears come to realization when a newer player opens a pack and scrolls through them to see if there is a shiny EX(GX), Break, or full art and they unintentionally bend or fold the cards. It is like nails on a chalkboard, you cry out to save the card but it's too late. A $20 card just became nearly worthless. I think at this point, around 7-8 years old, kids should start treating cards with respect and try to care for them. Sleeves and binders become valuable tools to teach kids to take care of their cards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Trading

Kids love to trade cards, but never understand the value of what they are giving away or getting. Simply looking up the price on Google, TCG player.com, or my go to amazon.com. I've been a part of some bad trades, on the bad side and the good side. it's a terrible feeling losing a very good card or getting pressured into trading. if you don't feel like it's a good trade, it's ok to say no. You should never feel bullied into a trade, and always have the right to say no.

Fake Cards 

Some cards look as fake as fake can be, but I have seen some, that even a seasoned player/collector would have a hard time distinguishing. I actually ran into a few of them on a certain website/app called Wish. 30 Ex's for $6 sounds a little too good to be true, well because it is. Some I could tell right away, as there is no such thing as Tyogre Ex. Some could pass for real cards, but the back was darker and glossy. Be careful when dealing with untrusted site/sellers, as it has happened to a lot of people. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Proxies

  A lot of times, when starting out and players don't have a lot of cards yet, they create proxy cards. They can be as simple as writing the name of the card on a sheet of paper and putting it in front of an energy or printed up versions with the HP, attacks, retreat and weakness/resistance. I still use Proxies when making new decks, to let me know how a deck will work before I take an older deck apart.

Finding Tournaments/ Leagues

Pokemon.com is the easiest way to find sanctioned tournaments and Leagues, there are also Facebook groups and other sites that host online tournaments. I try to post the most current and local tournaments in our area, but some do slip by, so to stay up to date, always check Pokemon.com / Attend Events.