Even if you haven't officially started homeschooling yet, just mentioning that you are considering it (let alone have made the decision to do it) can bring a standard response from people. The first thing you will hear is, "What about socialization?"
My dear friend from high school called me yesterday, and I hadn't talked with her for months. We were trying to quickly catch up so I could finish getting dinner ready, and the conversation included what was in store for our coming school year. When I mentioned our co-op, and the potential class sizes (21+ in my middle school class alone!), she responded by saying, "Can you do that? I mean, isn't the whole point of homeschooling to avoid that kind of environment?"
I say this to show you one thing -- you have nothing to "prove" to anyone in relation to your decision to homeschool. People will believe things about homeschoolers no matter how you seek to enlighten them. If you don't do things with others, you are weird. If you are doing things as a group, it is still weird.
The definition of socialize is:
"To make fit for living in a group; to subject to governmental ownership or control."
Those who say homeschoolers aren't socialized just mean that they are different, i.e., they don't have a herd mentality, following the "in" crowd (and driving you nuts about having all the latest fashions and tech-toys). And they are usually able to have an intelligent conversation with people of all ages, not just their peers.
Do not allow comments about a lack of socialization scare you! Your children will be fine as they grow up in your home as lovers of learning, self-confident that God has an amazing purpose for their life that He will equip them to accomplish.
