About 4000 families are teaching their children at home, and they are doing very well. One example is the Tanner family from Hertfordshire. Eve Tanner, 27, and her 29-year -old husband James do not send their children to school. The Tanner children, six-year-old Stephen and eight-year-old Jason, study at home with their mother. They have a bright, comfortable study in their home. All around there are lots of books and the children’s paintings are on the wall. James says, “Both Eve and I think we got nothing from school -only a diploma. We had no fun at all; in fact, everything was boring.” Some parents who are teaching their children at home have a study
programme, but the Tanners don’t. Eve says, “The children love books – they read all sorts of things. And, of course, we read story books together. I teach them writing and mathematics, too. They write shopping lists for me. Then they go shopping with me and pay for the things we buy.” Eve and James take their children to the library, to museums, to concerts, to swimming pools and to gymnastics. They think these activities are very important. What do friends think? Eve says, “Most of them are very interested. Some friends are also thinking about teaching their children at home."