Homeschooling gives the parents control over the subject matter, textbooks and content of material that their children will study. This is an advantage for parents who are homeschooling on the basis of religious beliefs, because they can usually find curriculum written from that perspective. Another advantage is that parents who disagree with sex education or controversial theories like evolution can be sure that their children are not exposed to these subjects.
The structure of the school day for children educated at home is also under the control of the parents. This is an advantage for parents who worry that their children are either being given too much free time at school or that their schedule at school is too regimented. Also, when children are homeschooled, they can receive more on-on-one attention when working on difficult skills or when there is a learning disability to be addressed.
Homeschooled children typically do not have the benefit of resources that children in public school enjoy. Some examples include computer and science labs, libraries and gyms for physical education. While it is true that these children can go to local libraries and museums and may have computers at home, they will not get the benefit of having a trained expert to teach them specifics. Also, children at school have ready access to these supplemental activities--home schooled children may only get exposure to them when they take a field trip for that purpose.
The lack of interaction with children from various ethnic groups and backgrounds is a definite disadvantage for children taught at home. Socialization skills are just as important as academic skills in that they teach children how to get along with others, resolve conflicts and work cooperatively. Many homeschooled children do have outings and field trips with their peers, but this is not equivalent to the interaction that kids have in school on a daily basis.
The inability to be involved in group extracurricular activities is another disadvantage for homeschooled children. Sports and academic clubs are important facets of the educational experience for most children, because they promote and encourage leadership and unify the students through school spirit and team building. They can also provide chances to earn scholarships for college. Most homeschooled children do not have the opportunity to be a part of these organizations.