I'm sure I will. But, it's not really common in the circle of people I know. They either move to an area with good public schools or send their kids to private school. But I understand that may not be an option for some people.
Look for the well-behaved, polite & happy children out in public who aren’t screaming their heads off — who open doors for people — and who look right in your eyes when you say hello — and that’s where you’ll find them.
Probably wouldn't be determinative. Most of my friends' kids are like that.
A common misconception about homeschooling families is that we cannot afford to send out children to private schools. It is a totally different mindset — families who choose private education over homeschooling. Most homeschooled families I know can absolutely afford private schools, but choose a different path, in wanting the family to remain intact, to offer our children more academic opportunities than any formal schools provide, and to allow them to grow and learn at their own pace, developing their own skills & abilities.
I have NEVER met any publicly schooled children who play well with my children. There are always fights and arguments that require adult intervention. I only know ONE (out of hundreds) of families who fit the stereotype of “weird”, in terms of socialization. The vast majority of homeschooled children I know (including my own) can easily interact with adults in a comfortable manner, and are interesting to talk with. We also have the luxury of giving our children the TIME and SPACE to actually learn how to learn — and to think — and to create — whether it is in the sciences, or literature, or creative writing.
No matter how expensive or well-funded any private school is, it still involves the herd-mentality, using standards of measuring achievement that don’t adequately evaluate skills sets or capacities for development. The home environment, where lots of friendship and love and support are offered daily, is a terrific place to raise children.
You probably know one or two homeschool graduates without knowing that you know them. Twenty years ago is when homeschooling really started taking off in the NoVA area - my mother and grandmother started the first homeschool group there. There are probably several twentysomething professionals you might pass on a daily basis and never know they were homeschooled.
Nobody knows I was (except people who have seen my resume) until I tell them. It’s not a tattoo on the forehead.