Are we pressuring our youth to learn too much too young?

From what I see happening to the kids here these days, they don't quite have a carefree childhood like the older generation does. On weekdays, they are packed with schoolwork & extra-cirriculum activities. Then on weekends, they have piano, violin, tuition, ballet, blah, blah, blah lessons. Sometimes, I do feel sorry for these kids.

His social skills at this point are more important than whether he knows his letters and numbers. He needs to be able to follow directions, dress himself,get along with others. If he understands that letters make sounds, and sounds make words, and words convey information, tell stories, he has a good start. If has an idea that numbers are how we measure amounts of things, he is doing good. Most children can be taught to parrot the ABCs and 123's, but have no idea what they are talking about. Some of what people label as school readiness used to just be common sense and what the kids absorbed from being around others.In kindergarten he will probably be learning letters, numbers,colors, shapes. Things that we used to learn in first grade or second, he probably will learn in kindergarten. As well as computer skills, etc.

In some cases yes, but in some cases, society isn't pushing them hard enough. Schools are becoming dumbed down, and kids who fail are being pushed through, and thus not being made ready for the next grade. Graduation is getting easier and easier to achieve these days.