Give your kid some credit for being smart - just because they read about something doesn't mean they will do it.

I don't think I ever got proper credit about being smart about the game.

A degree is an asset, but it doesn't mean anything by itself. It's just another asset. So is being persuasive, having good personality, being smart.

Just because I don't have a college degree doesn't mean I am not smart!

Half of being smart is knowing what you are dumb about.

Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless.