What Happen with kids being kids?

Why does everyone want there kid to grow up so fast?  I never noticed it so much then when I started homeschooling my daughters.   

Everyone I talk to has the smartest kids they are so far ahead and doing so well or they start there kids at the age of 3 and they are doing 1st grade work.   

Whatever happen with kids being kids and doing little kids stuff.  Why do kids have to go to school so young anymore.  I know I see it in the public school too.  They started P-K for 4 years old.  

When my daughters were 4 we were reading doing fun things not much school.  Guess I am weird mama for wanting kids to be kids.   I feel they will have plenty of time in school they don't need to start so young.   By the time they need to really go to school they are going to be so burnt out it wouldn't be funny.  Then you say they loved school when they were young and now I can't get them to do it. Dude, you burnt them.  Why do you want them to grow up so fast?   They have plenty of time for school.   That is why I think they have so much trouble in school kids are so bored as they learned the stuff so young and have to repeat and repeat it.

Then I was thinking and listen to tons of mom talk the other day at a homeschool group and they all had the smartest kids on the earth and they all were working any where from 2 to 3 years ahead of everyone and doing well.  OK  I know there are some and there really are some kids that are smart  little cookies, but come on not everyone.  If so why is the world the way it is?   I really think its the parents that want there kids to be smart to show off. 

I never got into that.  My daughters are doing great and right on track.  They are doing everything we want and then some.  I didn't start them till they were the right age. 

But, my thought is why can't little kids be little kids play with toys and do the things kids do when they are young.   So, when they really go to school and need to sit and learn they wouldn't be burnt out. 

If all these kids are smart and doing so well and so far ahead how come half of them I know now work in Wal mart, or a hamburger joint? 

Just my thoughts.