Let me start by saying I hated school and when I was young, I dreamt I was a princess that had a private tutor.
I have a good friend who is a former second grade teacher who homeschools her two boys. She is organized and creative and type A. The kids do a few hours of school work a week (literally) and are ahead of their grades. They do tons of creative things - visiting museums and watching historical movies and reading and creating their own plays and art and different classes...
They get TONS of social time with kids that have interests like theirs. (School kids don't really know what they want till they are older, but homeschool kids have time to define themselves earlier).
I heard the socialization thing, too, but what are you socializing them to? That kind of freaked me out. There is no reason homeschooled kids can't be socialized.
I am a sign language interpreter and worked in Jr. High for a year.
It was a fascinating experience to sit in the front of classes every day and see what classrooms are really like.
Tons of time spent managing.
Kids are rewarded if they obey.
Did you know the bell system was instituted by early industrialists (like Ford) who got involved in compulsory schooling to churn out good factory workers? (No joke). They came up with the bell to break up the kids self-direction and make them obedient (like they would need to be later in life). That's the reason for having little views of outside. That's the reason for bland colors on the walls. This is all documented.
My observation was just when the kids were getting engaged, the bell would ring and they were required to put aside any natural interest and go to the next place they were ordered to go (YUCK).
It was that year I was trying and then got pregnant.
I did a TON of research on alternative education and homeschooling/unschooling.
I had decided (before I lost the baby) that homeschooling was the direction I was going to go (unless it didn't work for my child).
I was floored by the book Dumbing Us Down (and many others).
I read and heard great things about Waldorf and Montessori. Pros and cons for each.
And then, some kids thrive in the modern school system. It is not one size fits all.
Homeschoolers get together.
Find out where a local group gathers and go interview them.
Let your child interview them (if s/he is old enough).
And try it. You can always go back.
peace