I did create the term 'ND' to mean 'normally developing' instead of 'not gifted' because I specifically wanted a term for kids who DO NOT have asynchronous development, and do things the way the book says. Some of these kids will grow up to be brillient and do amazing things, but to all appearances as children, they are within the cultural expectations of 'normal development.'
So in fact, I think if folks are using the term ND as I intended, there is at least a 'poster' if not a poster child for ND.
I completely agree, Grinity, and I'm glad you explained this as you did. Thank you!
All kids are different, of course, and all kids learn different things at different rates, gifted or no. That's just human. But if there weren't a range of "normal development" that meets the needs of most of the population, there would be no "What to Expect" books and no lists of milestones that pediatricians check for.
This should not become an excuse for stereotyping *anyone*, of course. I hope we would all be very wary of that. That would mean falling into what I think is an unfair stereotype for GT families, actually: thinking that GTness is somehow better. It's not better. Just different in some ways. But the same in other ways.
As for seeing what you look for: I am reminded of the joke-saying "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." Sometimes you get what you expect, and sometimes it's there regardless of whether you expected it or not.
I remember vividly the first time I was met with a "He did NOT just read that!" from someone. It wasn't a bragging thing--I was just quietly responding (privately) to my toddler son as I always did, not even thinking about someone else overhearing. I certainly wasn't expecting that reaction to what I did everyday, many, many times a day! But it was there. After that, I got a lot more careful about how I spoke to my kids in public. Nothing like being jumped on in a Kindermusik class by a whole group of mothers to make you realize that your "normal" is not the norm...
Let's face it, if that reaction didn't exist "in nature," most of us wouldn't need this forum...
