... she has always been awesomely supportive - especially while Aiden was struggling just before coming out of school... I now need to accept her decision to feel like this and move on.
While it is disappointing that a friend who has been supportive through struggles may have an incredulous reaction to your son's sudden growth by leaps and bounds, and express that this may be the result of hothousing or that you may be bragging... you may wish to keep this in perspective and emphasize the areas in which your friendship may still be strong and mutually supportive.
Some friends are great for celebrating successes with and want nothing to do with a person when they are struggling... others may be empathetic to struggles but out of their comfort zone when they see a sudden change toward success (they may wonder whether their friend will still be able to relate to their struggles). While painful, how we navigate the difficulties in relationships may provide a role model for our children, and in the resiliency of their own friendships.
I may have the unique view in this subject on this board at this time, but I might suggest finding an article which best explains what you are experiencing with your child and which may also address the gap in your friend's current understanding. One possible article may be something like this one which discusses the difference between child-led learning and
hothousing... ? A friendly note, thanking your long-time friend for her concern and sharing an article which may explain what you could not find words for, may help ease understanding.
Many parents have had the experience of learning what food their child currently liked (it may be bananas one week, peanut butter for a month, then sweet potatoes...), then purchased an ample supply on sale, just in time for their child to turn up their nose at their formerly favorite food as their taste buds developed a fondness for something else. Our kiddos can be the same way about immersing themselves in particular interests... just when the "needed" library book is available, or the kit is delivered, or the puzzle is back in stock, or the museum exhibit opens... kiddo may disdainfully report that they have no interest. I've become aware of more than one parent overjoyed/relieved to be finally able to present kiddo with the thing that kiddo talked about wanting non-stop for weeks... only to see their kiddo complaining as though the parent was pushing (reflective only of the fact that the child's interest in that area had suddenly plummeted)!
Not only is it difficult for parents of gifted kids to "keep up" with their kids' rapid growth, but as the child's interests change rapidly, children may seem to "betray" the parents by complaining about resources which arrive "out of season", once a child's interests have changed. Point being: other parents, teachers, children may all hear a child's statements out of context and wrongly presume that the parent was pushing depth or breadth of study in an area. It takes grace and strength to stay in a conversation long enough to understand why another parent, teacher, child may believe a kiddo is being hothoused/pushed... and more grace and strength to understand why kiddo complained upon receiving that-which-they-could-not-live-without-last-week... and more grace and strength to gently help kiddo understand realistic timing and also the impact of their words upon others.
Another common scenario is for parents, excited following a breakthrough, to talk about nothing else... thereby showing little concern for their friends' current interests, challenges, and life events.
Often, there is pain and bewilderment on both sides of a misunderstanding, and in thinking long-term it is often mutually beneficial to invest in keeping as many relationships as possible.
Just my 2 cents.
