One great thing about homeschooling is that you don't have to give a tinker's damn about how someone else thinks you're raising your kids, including their levels of interaction with the "real world."
I am intrigued as to why you wouldn't homeschool your kids. Not my business, I know, but I'll share some general information with you, which I hope will be helpful.
People homeschool for a variety of reasons. Some out of religious or political conviction, some because of personal, health, or family reasons, and others (like us) find the public school system inadequate for the needs of their child. Heck, it could be a combination of all those reasons.
We don't all fit into a single box. There are many different teaching methods and materials that are available to homeschooling parents. Some folks use the "third grade in a box" concept where all the materials are available from the same vendor, neatly packaged and ready to use. Some of these even come with DVD/video options where a "video instructor" does the teaching. Some folks use a "pick and choose" method wherein they might select a particular math curriculum and a different method of teaching history.
A certain segment of the homeschool community chooses "Unschooling." This is a child-led method, much more relaxed than traditional methods. If the child is interested in reading history books today, then that's what they do. Maybe do some math tomorrow. This is a bit of a simplification; I'm don't know any Unschooling families, so I'm not too familiar with this particular concept.
For the record, although we homeschool, I am very supportive of parents who choose to send their kids to public school, and I wish only the best for them (as I hope they do for me).
Parenting is hard. Lots of calculations have to process for any decision, including how to educate your kids. Homeschooling is a very rewarding path, but if anyone tells you every day is a wonderful experience, they are telling you a Clinton-sized LIE.
On the contrary. The entire world is their class room.
Public school kids are stuck in a box every day with the same kids they've been stuck with for years. It goes on day after day, on and on. The same old thing.
Breaking away from the "block mentality" is a freedom public school kids will never be able to experience. They'll go out in the real world and get crushed. Home schoolers have always been in the real world. They're all set!
Agreed. There is a lot of software available, as well as vast amounts of printed material, teaching aids, etc.
One of the best resources we have found is a book called "The Well-Trained Mind". It is an incredible resource for home-schoolers and public-schoolers who want to make sure their children are getting a well-balanced education.