What an interesting discussion.
I have found the topic of baggage and parenting overlapping with the term "gifted" lately. As my oldest DD5 has entered the school system this fall I have realized that when discussing her ability I often referred to her as "advanced" or refer directly to her grade level equivalency. I do not use the term "gifted." When others do I am uncomfortable. In fact, a friend pointed out that I would have to stop choking on the word and come to terms with it. I guess I am coming to terms with a number of things at this stage in my life.
As I advocate for DD in school I am bombarded with memories of my own experiences. Like others who have previously postponed my parents did not advocate acceleration. When I recently discussed with my mother about subject acceleration she said it was all teacher driven and she would never have spoken up or challenged the school had nothing ever been done. How fortunate I was to have many exceptional teachers along the way.
Middle school years were difficult. I believe they are for most children regardless of ability. I did not identify with trivial friendships and made up boy-girl relationship. I fared much better in high school when I was able to connect with older students (counter to the old anti-acceleration argument). Academically I had more opportunities to take more interesting classes (at least a couple) and I busied myself with any activity offered. I did not realize until adulthood that my need to join everything from the math club, school play, track, school government, etc. was my attempt to fill the void.
Along with childhood baggage I bring an array of teaching baggage having spent a number of years in the classroom before reinventing myself into an entirely different career. As another poster mentioned I am trying to balance idealism with realism.
