[Steve_Seattle]

"Think that, in a "regular" school (either public or private), children have to face bullies, insults, mocking, and outright meanness from other students. Now, which ones have the real "socialization" issues?"

Home-schooled kids are still subject to many aspects of normal socialization - they are (usually) exposed to television and popular culture. They go to stores and malls. They have friends in the neighborhood who they play with and associate with. They join clubs and sports teams (little league, etc.).

[Ebenezer]

Right. You would think from the conventional “wisdom” that homeschooled kids are hermits. Even the Amish, in their very tightly-knit environment, socialize with (and help) each other.

[-YYZ-]

“Home-schooled kids are still subject to many aspects of normal socialization - they are (usually) exposed to television and popular culture. They go to stores and malls. They have friends in the neighborhood who they play with and associate with. They join clubs and sports teams (little league, etc.).”

Yes. What they don’t have to deal with is being forced to go, day after day, back to a place where the children are basically in charge and a “Lord of the Flies” atmosphere permeates.