TL;DR: I think there are social benefits to traditional schooling people these days often neglect.
I have a boy. He's almost 2. It pleases me greatly when I see that natural curiosity sparkle in his eyes. In fact, there's not much I wouldn't give up to ensure that spark never dies.
However, I also see the large small, the giggles and laughter that comes so naturally when he's interacting with people, young and old. I'm not sure I could live with myself if I somehow deterred his possible happiness in my quest to preserve his childlike curiosity.
I think you neglect to realize you don't need traditionally schooling to reap terrific social rewards, and indeed, from the research I read over the years when our son was growing up, social rewards were more likely to be gained by homeschooling than traditional schooling.
Our son also giggled and laughed when interacting with people, young and old, and continued to do so all the way up till he moved away to graduate school at 14. He still laughs plenty, but not as often as he did before he moved away, and I am not sure the reason for that (though I do wonder if he'd be happier had he never gone the formal education route or stayed at home longer), but am happy he at least has plenty of laughter in him.
Do some research, Pay close attention to who the unhappy 5 to 18 year olds are. As far as mental health visits, traditionally schooled people have FAR more than home educated people, and while I grant that homeschooled people might for whatever reasons be less likely to go in for mental health help, I doubt that explains the big picture as many people who become mental health patients didn't choose that path/go voluntarily. There are also far fewer prisoners who were homeschooled than traditionally educated (fewer than the general population of homeschooled people, which I realize is a very small population still itself). And homeschoolers on welfare were unheard of a decade or so ago, when I last read on the topic; not sure if that's still the case. People in the hospital or a clinician's "couch", prison, and welfare lines don't tend to be the jolliest folks around (which isn't to say they never laugh, of course).
This may just be the skeptic in me, but could you provide some references to the claims you are making?
I do however fail to see how it's possible for kids to develop the same type of social lessons in a closed environment. I believe even events such as bullying and popularity contests aid in the development of a child. This is especially true if they are exposed to team settings (competitive team sports) at an early age.
I have a boy. He's almost 2. It pleases me greatly when I see that natural curiosity sparkle in his eyes. In fact, there's not much I wouldn't give up to ensure that spark never dies.
However, I also see the large small, the giggles and laughter that comes so naturally when he's interacting with people, young and old. I'm not sure I could live with myself if I somehow deterred his possible happiness in my quest to preserve his childlike curiosity.