Hothousing is when a parent determines the area of study or enrichment without asking for the child's input or considering their interest and continually enforcing the spending of afterschool time in learning and advancing in that area. In my neighborhood, there are "learning centers" for these things when the parent cannot hothouse. Afterschool vans pick up kids and put them in these centers where they drill math, science (and piano/violin and I don't know what else), prepare for math competitions, timed tests etc and it starts at the lower elementary level (one such program says proudly that their youngest participant is still in diapers!). And they send homework home (to take care of what little free time the kid might have). I think that is hothousing because there is no regard for whether a preteen boy wants to sit in a small room afterschool and spend time memorizing facts or playing the violin.