This is a very interesting topic. I was thinking about how most of you said you were bored during school and I can't honestly say I remember ever being bored. What I remember doing was bringing whatever novel I was reading, propping up my text book and then reading my book behind it during the lecture portion of the class. After the lecture was over and it was time to do homework, I'd do my homework and that was that. At the time I thought I was really clever and that none of my teacher's must have been smart enough to catch on that I was reading all the time. Looking back on it, I of course realize, that they had to have known what I was doing but because I was making good grades, they didn't care. Let me tell you, I got a LOT of reading done during high school. But I never once considered that I was bored or not being taught something relevant or up to my abilities. I was happy to read!!! :-)
To be honest, both my sister and I knew we were labeled "gifted" but it just wasn't any big deal in our household. We were talked to and treated as people with mind's by our parents and the label really meant nothing. My sister was grade skipped and my poor mother has always felt she ruined my sister's life by letting her skip. She went from an outgoing leader in her class to having few friends and having a hard time fitting in socially. So for her, skipping wasn't good. But maybe she'd have been so bored later that wouldn't have been good either. I had to be pulled out with a group of, to me, "nerdy, brainy, kids" to go to another school once a week for enrichment. This I HATED with a passion. I wasn't one of THEM and the program was the pits. Just extra boring reports and the teacher for some reason took a dislike to me (which had never happened before) so I hated every minute of it.
Honestly, being labeled "gifted" has meant nothing to me in my life except maybe in a negative connotation. That is one reason I started another thread about what you all find positive about being gifted because I wasn't seeing much. I see now there are positive things in being gifted, just not necessarily in being given the label. At least in my case. That is one reason I have been so ambivalent about my child being labeled. But if it will be a good thing for him, then I of course want it.
Now this has been extremely long and rambling but I hope I am making some sense. :-)
