This may be a bit rude, but seriously, what the hell?<p>It sounds like the kids hit high school, and you&#x27;re already like &quot;it&#x27;s too late for&#x27;im, he&#x27;s doomed!&quot; That&#x27;s quite the rough judgement to pass on someone who is still happy about growing some pubes. That has happened to me, and I&#x27;ll tell you, it&#x27;s no fun.<p>Second, academic skills aren&#x27;t all that different from any other skills. Some people have picked them up by accident, some got them from their parents, and some idiots thought that gifted kids don&#x27;t need these things, and we didn&#x27;t protest either, because we were smart beyond our years, not wise. Thing is, you look at what the kids that get it right do, and you can pick them up within a couple of months. Cal Newport[0] wrote some decent books on it, mostly based on studying honours fraternity students and their study habits.<p>Third, don&#x27;t make the kid feel inadequate because he lacks those skills. Being treated as the prodigal prodigy isn&#x27;t a fun place to be, and really, what is he missing? Educational pedigree isn&#x27;t all what it&#x27;s hyped up to be any more. Tech people are increasingly self taught, and other industries that still rely on degrees to do the weeding are cutting left and right. Paralegals? Poof. Traders? Poof.<p>So what&#x27;s there to be afraid of? Challenge your step-son, demonstrate to him the need to pick up those skills, and he&#x27;ll probably figure it out. Show your support for him. 
You&#x27;ve already singled him out from the other 90% of kids, might as well help him get to the fun end of the bell curve.<p>[0]<a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;calnewport.com&#x2F;books&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;calnewport.com&#x2F;books&#x2F;</a>