Cruelty of our Reality : Crime against our own kids?

The summer is over and the kids are back in school. Full-day kindergarten started in my daughter's school this year.

I reach school at 3.15pm to pick up my daughter and watch as the kindergarten teachers have a hard time lining up the kids against a wall inside the enclosure. There are a handful of fortunate kids that go home, usually picked up by a stay-at-home-mom or by a grandparent. Majority of them are herded to the "after-school" program.

Everyday my heart aches for these little children. Their frail bodies stooped from a long, tiring day carrying a heavy backpack way too big for them. A feeling of helplessness engulfs me. The feeling was echoed by the kindergarten teacher who told me that the kids are way too small for such a long day. Some are dropped off as early as 8am and reach home after 6pm. The schools have no facilities for an afternoon nap. Some kids are too tired and just doze off on the hard floor. She was dreading winter when it gets even worse.

Are we pushing our kids beyond what they are ready to handle?
"This is the cruelty of our reality" to quote verbatim the kindergarten teacher.