Why do many parents ship their children off to schools for so many hours daily?

[Geremia]

Why do so many parents ship their children off to schools for so many hours daily?

Pope Pius XI lists some reasons in his encyclical on Christian education, Divini Illius Magistri, saying that there is

another tendency, prevalent almost everywhere today, which, under one pretext or another, for

• economic reasons, or for
• reasons of industry,
• trade or
• politics,

causes children to be more and more frequently sent away from home even in their tenderest years...to be formed (or, to speak more accurately, to be deformed and depraved) in godless schools and associations, to irreligion and hatred, according to the theories of advanced socialism; and thus is renewed in a real and more terrible manner the slaughter of the Innocents.

Are these four issues the primary obstacles to homeschooling?

[VeraeFidei]

Well, the American Bishops "required" Catholics to send their children to Catholic school long before Vatican II...go after them.

(and I say "required" because I do not think Bishops have the authority to override parental authority to make such a blanket rule)

[JubilateDeo]

For me, I send my school aged child to Catholic school because at this point in my life (with a really fussy baby) the school is doing a better job teaching my daughter than I would be if I were homeschooling.  I am open to that changing but right now, putting her in school is helping me to focus on bonding with the baby and she can have some much needed time with other children.  I sometimes wish that the school day were shorter and that she spent less time in school, but there is no choice--either homeschool and have to deal with a fussy baby AND making sure my daughter's socialization and education needs are met, or full day kindergarten.  There's a Catholic homeschool co-op, but it's just once a week.

[Greg]

Because that is how many hours the school lasts.

[MundaCorMeum]

In my experience, the main obstacle is that Moms, who usually do the bulk of the homeschooling, simply don't want to.  These are the reasons I hear most often:

"I could never homeschool....My kids would drive me crazy.....My kids are too social to stay home all day long....I'm not organized or disciplined enough....we would never get anything done....I would love to homeschool, but I can't afford to stay home."

I'm not saying one way or the other if those are valid reasons or not.  Some of them very well may be.  I'm just saying those are the reasons I'm given most often.  In my area, it's really more of a preference thing, rather than practical reasons. 

[Chestertonian]

yes i do think s lot of parents do not want to actually have to spend time with their children all day

for us, we need the daycare.  we pulled my son out of school because they were not accommodating his diabetes but we may very unfortunately beusing the public zschools next year

In my experience, the main obstacle is that Moms, who usually do the bulk of the homeschooling, simply don't want to.  These are the reasons I hear most often:

"I could never homeschool....My kids would drive me crazy.....My kids are too social to stay home all day long....I'm not organized or disciplined enough....we would never get anything done....I would love to homeschool, but I can't afford to stay home."

I'm not saying one way or the other if those are valid reasons or not.  Some of them very well may be.  I'm just saying those are the reasons I'm given most often.  In my area, it's really more of a preference thing, rather than practical reasons. 

its definitely not for every family

there is a chance ie could manage making homeschooling work but if i end up in the hospital for months that is a lot of time it would have to be a team wffort between me my wife and the nanny and my mother..  how many kids are homeschooled by a +village "

also when you only have one kid,the pressure is all on you to help them make friends and give them opportunities to play with children his age..  you have to go to groups, co ops, and playdates.  almost all the adults at these functions are mothers and the last thing i want to do is find myself at some kind of moms group.  its just w little weird

[Bernadette]

Well, the American Bishops "required" Catholics to send their children to Catholic school long before Vatican II...go after them.

(and I say "required" because I do not think Bishops have the authority to override parental authority to make such a blanket rule)

I thought that requirement meant "send your children to a Catholic school, as opposed to a Protestant or secular school."

[VeraeFidei]

Well, the American Bishops "required" Catholics to send their children to Catholic school long before Vatican II...go after them.

(and I say "required" because I do not think Bishops have the authority to override parental authority to make such a blanket rule)

I thought that requirement meant "send your children to a Catholic school, as opposed to a Protestant or secular school."

It did, but it also did not allow for homeschooling. Homeschooling was not viewed as a legitimate option because the parish school was right around the corner.

[Chestertonian]

Well, the American Bishops "required" Catholics to send their children to Catholic school long before Vatican II...go after them.

(and I say "required" because I do not think Bishops have the authority to override parental authority to make such a blanket rule)

I thought that requirement meant "send your children to a Catholic school, as opposed to a Protestant or secular school."

It did, but it also did not allow for homeschooling. Homeschooling was not viewed as a legitimate option because the parish school was right around the corner.

was homeschooling even a "thing"

[Bernadette]

I can't see why people would have felt the need to homeschool back then, since academic standards were so much higher and schools were, as far as I know, universally trusted.

[MundaCorMeum]

Also, didn't kids spend fewer hours in school several decades ago? 

[Chestertonian]

I can't see why people would have felt the need to homeschool back then, since academic standards were so much higher and schools were, as far as I know, universally trusted.

im not sure id go as far as to say universally trusted but himeschooling as most families currently practice it is a post 70s idea although charlotte mason and maria montessoris ideas were always very suited for home education..  Most home educated children just had a governess or tutor

[Geremia]

It did, but it also did not allow for homeschooling. Homeschooling was not viewed as a legitimate option because the parish school was right around the corner.

The full §73 from which I extracted the quote in the OP says:

73. Nevertheless, Venerable Brethren and beloved children, We wish to call your attention in a special manner to the present-day lamentable decline in family education [i.e., homeschooling]. The offices and professions of a transitory and earthly life, which are certainly of far less importance, are prepared for by long and careful study; whereas for the fundamental duty and obligation of educating their children, many parents have little or no preparation, immersed as they are in temporal cares. The declining influence of domestic environment is further weakened by another tendency, prevalent almost everywhere today, which, under one pretext or another, for economic reasons, or for reasons of industry, trade or politics, causes children to be more and more frequently sent away from home even in their tenderest years. And there is a country where the children are actually being torn from the bosom of the family, to be formed (or, to speak more accurately, to be deformed and depraved) in godless schools and associations, to irreligion and hatred, according to the theories of advanced socialism; and thus is renewed in a real and more terrible manner the slaughter of the Innocents.

Thus, Pope Pius XI in no way mandates Catholic parochial schools over homeschooling ("family education").

[Geremia]

I thought that requirement meant "send your children to a Catholic school, as opposed to a Protestant or secular school."

Yes, even the 1983 Code of Canon Law says:

Parents are to entrust their children to those schools which provide a Catholic education. If they are unable to do this, they are obliged to take care that suitable Catholic education is provided for their children outside the schools.

The 1917 Code explicitly forbids non-Catholic schools:

Catholic children should not frequent non-Catholic, neutral, or mixed schools, namely, those that allow non-Catholics to attend. ...

[Geremia]

Well, the American Bishops "required" Catholics to send their children to Catholic school long before Vatican II

It's Canon Law. See my quotes above.