If I think back I’d probably have to agree that my public high school education didn’t prepare me for the real world in terms of budgeting, cooking, etc. (Though my college education in Tech. Theatre and Theatre for Youth provided me with a great amount of education about how to survive in the real world and with my kids! I might not be working in my past profession, but it’s been far from useless!*) However, I’m not sure if I believe it’s the point of public (or even private school, not homeschool) to provide these things. I’m more of the mind that public school is to learn math, science, reading, writing, etc. and that the “real world” education and experience should come from the home.