In 1983, Judy Galbraith, an educator with a special interest in gifted children, interviewed 400 gifted children in six states to find out their biggest problems with school, home and peers. The children, aged 7 to 18, gave answers that Galbraith categorized into "eight great gripes," which formed the backbone for her helpful handbooks, "The Gifted Kids Survival Guides." The guides -- one for children under 10, another for teens -- are the first effort of Galbraith's new publishing company, Free Spirit Publishing, which specializes in books for gifted children, their parents and their teachers. Here are the gripes Galbraith heard again and again during her interviews:
1. No one explains what being gifted is all about; it's kept a big secret.
2. The stuff we do in school is too easy and it's boring.
3. Parents, teachers and friends expect us to be perfect, to do our best all the time.
4. Kids tease us about being smart.
5. Friends who really understand us are few and far between.
6. We feel too different and wish people would accept us for what we are.
7. We feel overwhelmed by the number of things we can do in life.
8. We worry a lot about world problems and feel helpless to do anything about them.