The following is from "Homeschooling Soup." I thought this was VERY true! It's a good representation of vertical socialization vs. horizontal socialization!

Lisa

Home Schooling - Socialization This was our first year of homeschooling my son. He went to kindergarten and three weeks of first grade at our neighborhood school. I really worried about "socialization" as a beginning homeschool mom. I faithfully took him to play groups, field trips and group classes, still feeling as if he was "missing out " a little by not being with more kids.   Now, picture a beautiful summer's day at a small park. There are two groups of children there.  One group is all about the same age, while the other ranges from a wobbly toddler to teen-agers. All the girls in the first group go off together and sit on a play structure, staring off into the sky.  The boys from the first group sit on another structure, kicking at the dirt and laughing at one another. The boys and girls in the second group are all over the park.  They pick flowers, make sand castles, sell train tickets and take a journey, pretend to be pirates and Dr. Dolittle at the same time.  Even the little toddler gets included in all the fun.   Can you guess which group was the Parks and Recreation Department summer program and which was a group of children who are homeschooled? After seeing the two groups side by side, I don't feel that my son is "missing out"!   ~LRB~