My DH offered a new term to replace "gifted" that would certainly take away any smugness one might acquire from the pretentious-sounding nature of the term "gifted." He thinks we should call it Hyper-learning disorder. At least that way schools and educational legislators might view being GT not as an "easy way through school" but more of a problem to be addressed.
At any rate, the term makes me laugh.
FWIW, DD3 did not reach milestones early until about 18mo when she suddenly seemed to take off intellectually. Although in hindsight, I realize she did pick out many letters in the bath tub before she could speak them at about 15mo. But her same-age ND cousin hit all of the gross-motor milestones and some communication milestones before DD. Being my first child, I sometimes worried something was wrong with DD, but just kept in mind that all children develop at different rates. So I was a bit surprised when she suddenly developed in fast-forward from 18mo on. I didn't even realize she was atypical until a good friend pointed it out at 20mo or so. If she hadn't said anything, I'm sure I'd be even more GT denial than I am now.
