It is a well discussed topics for homeschoolers.  I am first time doing this and I my son is having a difficult time fitting with his "school" friends/ neighbors.  He attended public school until 5th grade.

My son is 11 but he is immature.  His friends are into girls, skateboarding, cel phones, being cool, etc.  While he wasn't super close with any of his school friends, he ocasionally played with them. Now that he doesn't see them at school he is out of what is going on and he is not being included in much of their activities and games. 

I tried finding homeschooling groups but I haven't found kids his age.  They were mostly younger families.

When I told my husband this dilemma he pointed out his immaturity but also how homechooling has isolated him more from his peers.  He said "This is what homeschooling does to him".  I felt sad to hear this from him.  He thinks that my son chose homeschooling to have an easier time and be lazy.  He works well most of the time.  He has expressed several times that he wants to attend middle school next year and I'm considering it.

Has anyone experienced similar issues with socialization? 

I do know I have made the right choice for this year.

Carmina  

 Personally, and I know not everyone agrees with this, I think it's all in the eye of the beholder. "Socialization" isn't about being and acting the same as your peers, it's about being able to be comfortable "enough" in any group. Kids (and adults) run into trouble when they're pushed into situations they're not ready to handle.

My kids had a few friends their own age, but they were at ease with adults as well and learned to carry on a conversation with them without the discomfort that's often obvious in situations like that. The proof is in the pudding as they say, as today they both have many friends of all ages and maintain close relationships with some of them. I'm not holding them up as perfect examples, because we had our problems, but I'm proud of the way they turned out and I believe at least part of it had to do with the freedom to be who they were throughout the growing up years.

Just my two cents.  

 I really don't like it when people call children immature.  What makes them "immature"?  The fact they don't like to do something other people their age do?  I know some 50 year olds that can act very immature - in my opinion anyway.  Immaturity is an opinion that differs with people and what they believe.

My daughter has been homeschooled her entire life, she'll be ten this week, and she was very very shy.  She would literally hide under my skirts and I was told by many well meaning people that it was because she didn't have to interact with anyone her own age.  She is outgrowing her shyness just fine thank you.  

Carmina, you said that you know you made the right choice and that is what is important.  My daughter has friends, maybe not as many as some people think she should, but she has good friends that I see her being friends with when they are schooling their own children.  Your son will find friends.  

One other thought I just had, do you have any programs available to you through a rec center or something similar. Swimming lessons were good for my daughter meeting other kids her own age.

Pat:

they were at ease with adults as well

Amen.  

My little one can talk to people her age, younger people, she loves to share school things with the ladies at the nursing home where we sing, the young lady with downs syndrome at church, and she can do it easily because she's not afraid of someone who may 'look' or 'act' different because she's been around all ages and all kinds of people. 

I did not have problems with my home school children being socialized. They are well adjusted adults

Ok, when I say immature what I mean is this.  He is 11 but he acts a lot younger.  I think I should have... well homeschooled him all along. 

I think all of you are right.  I need to give it time to adjust. My husband always tells me that I need to learn to relax (in all aspects of my life).  I'm trying to include more service oportunities with our neighbors. 

Homeschooling is working well with our relationship and he is much happier in that sense.  It was very stressful before (teacher's phone calls, school suspension, bus warnings, low reading scores). 

Carmina:

Homeschooling is working well with our relationship

And the relationship between a parent and a child is a relationship that lasts a lot longer than any teacher-student relationship.  You will both become better because of this time together. 

Is there boy scouts or something around for him to do, volunteering etc. Something so the focus isn't just on being social with each other. My kids don't get one on one playdates a lot but they go to playgroups, preschool etc.  I  find they just like to be around other kids in a social setting where they have something to do so even if they don't have to play one on one with the other kids but play with toys out, do crafts etc.  They play with kids older and younger. We have friends coming over tonight with their 14yr old and they can't wait to play with him.  And since he is not around other teens he doesn't worry about being cool in front of other teens lol!  When the kids are older, my dh plans to teach them woodworking etc, his hobbies if they are interested

Carmina:

His friends are into girls, skateboarding, cel phones, being cool, etc. 

If "socialization" means acting like everyone else, I don't care if my kids are ever "socialized." Isn't that one reason why parents choose homeschooling? So their kids are exposed only to the family's values and not everyone else's? 

I think "socialization" needs to be redefined as "the child gets along and is mannerly with other homeschool / neighborhood kids without being influenced by negative behaviors."

Carmina, I think it was Brandy who made a good point on this forum before about the hardest part of homeschooling being the extreme burden of responsibility that one feels for every aspect of their child's life.  I know it isn't a popular perspective in child psychology, but I try to remember that each child is their own individual self, not just the accumulation of his experiences and our good or poor parenting skills.  I have reminded myself many times that my children are not the sum total of my efforts.   Given their unique personalities, some children are naturally more social than others.  My two hs boys were polar opposites in this area.  My oldest could have cared less.  I was concerned about this, but as puberty came along, he became much more outgoing and sought out peers to be around.  My youngest has always been more social, but has never done as well with his own age group.  His brother is 5 years older and I think he always had to act older to achieve his brother's approval (or at least to avoid a wedgy!).  This may also have something to do with homeschooling, but I'll never know for sure.  He has friends, a few are his age, a few are older than him.  Since it all worked out for my older son, I have more confidence that it will also work out for my younger one as well.  Funny, I just realized that I went to public school but had almost no friends in my age group.  From high school on up, all my friends were older than me, most by 2-4 years.  Even today, at 41, my friends are older - one of my closest friends is 52!  No one has ever criticized me for not being able to get along with my "peer group".