I think my viewpoint is significantly influenced by my attendance at a fine Jesuit high school. I went to school with a lot of really interesting, bright people who chose to do a lot of really interesting things with their lives during and after high school and college. Perhaps it was the sample, but everyone knew that eventually, we'd all go on to do "grown up" things, even if there were some detours along the way.
Which is my way of saying, I guess, that if my daughter wants to backpack through Europe when she's 18 instead of going to college right away, fine by me. More power to her.
But personally... I think you are making a massive mistake.
Not only are you allowing/encouraging your children to sell themselves short which can only end in a life of regrets. But you are hurting society in general too, by depriving it of honest productive citizens which are in desperate short supply.
And on top of all that... there is the issue of marriage. College is where you want your children to find their mate. There is a short window of opportunity to find a quality mate after high school before they are all taken and you are left with nothing but players, people with massive psychological baggage or issues that will affect their lives forever like marrying someone divorced or with kids from someone else.