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I wouldn't homeschool my children. Maybe I'm just biased about it because I went to public school, and so have everyone around me, but I think it might come from trying to overprotect children. However they have to face the world at some point. It's best they learn how to deal with it when they're young.

I think parents need to take the time to talk to their children, to teach them, read to them and explain things to them. Take them to museums, zoos, get them to enjoy reading and learning. School isn't nearly enough. But I still see the public school as a very important experience to go through.

I think public schooling is crucial for a kids socialization, not just making friends but learning how to deal with utter morons and assholes.

My cousin was homeschooled, his mum was very open minded but when he got out in the real world (his first job) he expected everything to be handed to him on a silver tray and he couldnt handle rude people >_<

He feels if he had went to public school, he wouldnt be so..socially awkward in that sense.

@ bold: Yes I knew that, I was merely sharing an experience with it. I didnt say that home-schooled kids CANT handle the diversity of people in the real world, I just stated my feelings on public school vs. home school.

Homeschool in Norway is.. Well, I've NEVER heard of it here, before. The only thing I know the closest you can get to homeschooling here, is that you can study one the internett, BUT, then you'll have to either finished school, be too old to go to a public school, or that you are extremely tired of school and have alot of money. So I can't really say anything about it..

It's true that the first impression people get of homeschooled kids is that they're always at home. I admit that I was probably a bit too harsh about that too but I just can't really even imagine the idea of having a child homeschooled as it's definitely not normal where I was raised.

There probably are actual benefits to homeschooling and it's not all bad but if I ever decided to homeschool my child, the lack of social skills would not be the only thing I'd worry about but also if I'm actually able to teach my child everything necessary, haha.
That actually reminded me that are there any rules to homeschooling? Can just anyone homeschool their child over there if they want to?

How does it work with college / university? I think in the US it's different and they don't need your high school diploma, just your SAT? Can someone who's homeschooled get a high school diploma?

I'm sure there are lots of benefits with homeschooling, although I have to admit to not being familiar with homeschooling at all. I have an online friend who is homeschooling her daughter and that's all my knowledge about the concept.

Anyway, I would have to agree with you that it's not good for all students, and neither is public schools the solution for everyone.

As for homeschooling for religious reasons, what would said reasons be? The only thing I can think of is that the parents want the child to be sheltered from unwanted influences. This I'm against, not only from the individual child's perspective, but from the society as a whole. Acceptance for different cultures can not come unless the members of the society are acquainted with other cultures. Preventing children from meeting others (which is a necessary step if the child is to be sheltered from unwanted ideas) will further cement prejudiced views about "them", and will prevent the child's classmates-to-be from a possibly eye-opening experience.

When I was 7 years old, there was only one non-swedish student (although he was swedish; only adopted). He was of course bullied because he was different. Now today's children where I live are in classes with several people from different cultures. I believe this generation will be less likely to be racist because of their first-hand experience in the early ages.