I don’t think you’ve got it here bub. All effort does deserve praise. If your kid tried their best in an audition and is a tree and they continue to try despite it not being what they want either, then you praise them for trying so hard to be an awesome tree.
If your kid isn’t trying, you aren’t praising effort anyway.
Maybe there’s 5 kids that excel at drama in their 1st grade class. Who knows why. But if they tried and are a tree, so be it.
At least he sold his guns?