Where I live, most families who homeschool are religious conservatives, like you say protecting kids from the world. For me it was just the opportunity to be with my kids more, to share my love of learning, to have more freedom in our daily activities. I homeschooled my kids with a home school assistance program that provided enrichment classes in elementary, then dual enrolled them through junior high (we continued math and language arts at home), and they went full time to a public high school. I loved those years! My kids are starting college now—a physics major and an engineering major. I miss our science experiments, ice cream breaks, and just talking in those lulling afternoon hours.