Kcab has done a good job of explaining hothousing. I'd like to go one step further and add that the term came from the practice of growing hothouse flowers, which are very meticulously trained and groomed to have the most desirable appearance. There are parents who treat their children this way, overfocusing on academic skills from babyhood. My experience with gifted kids is that most are dragging their parents along for a wild ride, and that a very small percentage are actively pushed by their parents. Those few "pushy" parents cast suspicion on all of us. It's a bummer.
Mia-
I think you have a right to be angry. I hope you can channel that into persistence in your advocacy efforts. Good luck!
