Welcome Steph!
Having a highly gifted kid can be pretty lonesome because it's hard to talk about the difficulties we encounter--people are unsympathetic..."what's so hard about having a really smart kid?" Maybe I'm imagining that 'cause no one's ever said it to me, but we face different (but equally challenging) issues and decisions as other parents. So the biggest benefit, at least to me, is a community of other parents who are not thinking I'm bragging or exaggerating abilities, who understand worries about need to accelerate without thinking I'm pushy, helicopter mom, who understand bizarre asynchronous stuff we see in these kids.
Other benefits are the seminars/colloquia available free, with world experts--I've enjoyed those. My kids like the YS board and reading about other kids like them--next summer we hope to go to the Gathering where they can meet other kids and participate in all kinds of activities with more experts.
The counselors have also been very helpful in advocacy with schools (advice).
