Childhood--Homeschooling vs 3pm Pick Up

Childhood.

When I think about that golden period in my life, I remember rolling fields of grass, games played under the shade of apple trees (that produced nasty apples), reading dozens of books a week, my imagination spinning as I washed dishes and played with babies, and of course, the race to finish schoolwork so I could continue with my fun.
It sounds idyllic. It sounds as if I'm forgetting something. It sounds as if I'm lying. I'm not, though. My young years were blissful.
There was no rushing to make it to school, arriving home at three pm with orders to complete homework, and an early bedtime because of school the next day.

There was just childhood.

I started wanting to attend a brick and mortar school at around age ten. I was eager to experience school life, replete with backpacks, early bed and wake up times, school dress codes, and homework. But until then, I loved my life that was filled with play, imagination, learning, and plenty of chores.

And I think about my  future children. I think about how I love working. How I want them to enjoy childhood and school and all those plans I already have for them.

I have no qualms about sending my children to school for a quality education. I'm sure they'll enjoy the influence of good teachers and relationships with other children. I know I'll appreciate the time to work and do other things.

But...

Children shouldn't be in school 40 hours a week to learn. It takes between and hour and two hours a day for a preschooler through second grader to learn enough for he/she to excel in his/her grade level. The time increases somewhat in the mid elementary grades, but it's still around 3-4 hours. And that's with rigorous instruction, book work, review, and drilling.
I know that some parents are thankful for long school days because they have to work to provide for their children. I understand and appreciate that. I can foresee me being a parent like that one day (probably with older children).  But we shouldn't pretend that it really takes that long for a child to receive an education in the 3 Rs.

It makes me cringe to think that 3pm pick up times with homework after school!!!! might be the childhood my children know. I want more for them. I want them to experience a bigger, brighter world. However, I know that some children need the structure of regular schools, the order of 3pm pick up times, the bed times, etc, everything I would have hated. I know each of my children will be different, that each one will have different strengths and crave something different from life. For some of them, the structure of the school day, the influence of different adults, a constant change of settings--those will be the things that make childhood a peaceful, enjoyable time.

So I'm preparing for everything. I know I have the ability to homeschool my children well and I know that I have the ability to find the best schools for them. I know that each year, each child, each grade is different. What is the best for one child is something radically different for another.

I don't want to be a parent who is convinced that she has found the way of educating her children and be blind to all other options. I want to be perceptive, insightful, and open to change for my children's best interests. Childhood is a time of hope, dreams, blissful ignorance, fun, and training. I want to provide that time for my children before the big, stressful world threatens to devour them.

This was me in childhood