Homeschooling rarely takes a child all the way into her adult life. At some point, the child will likely enter an educational institution, such as a college. The longer the student has been homeschooled, the harder it may be for her to adapt to the new way of learning. The transition can frustrate a pupil and may damage her chances of succeeding academically. It might also be difficult for the teacher/parent to cut the apron strings at the appropriate time in the child's life.
Homeschooling can be a lonely experience for a child. When growing up, homeschooled kids are less likely to participate in the social interactions an educational institution provides, at least not on a regular a basis. This can have negative effects on the social skills the child develops. On a more immediate level, the child may struggle to find friends, which are typically made at school. Parents, too, can become isolated as they are at home all day with their children.
One major advantage educational institutions possess is they can draw on a number of resources, such as cooperative programs with colleges and a wide range of teachers and subjects to provide kids with a well-rounded education. While a parent homeschooling his child is likely to do his best and will doubtless call on tutors if needed, it's possible that a home-schooled child won't have access to as many resources and enrichment programs as he would at a public school. Some communities do provide programs for homeschooled kids in the area of sports for example, as noted by the Home-school Curriculum Savings website, but not all areas will offer the same opportunities.
Homeschooling parents will need to cover all of the important skills kids would otherwise gain in an educational institution, to prevent their children from being at a disadvantage. A public school will not only teach kids to a certain level in core subjects such as literacy and numeracy, but also develop their organizational and time-management skills. For example, students are routinely given homework to finish by a given date, and kids also learn to be punctual through the set routine of the school day. Parent tutors may miss out or fail to reinforce some of these soft skills.
Most families may be able to adequately teach an average child from home, but if the child is especially talented in one area, parents may struggle to develop the child's talents as easily as an educational institution, through its extra resources, would be able to. An academically struggling child, meanwhile, might benefit from the individual attention homeschooling can give him, but could be at a disadvantage if his parents are unsure of how best to help him.