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"A family located in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."

Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "beginning" as just an expression.

But, it might be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a infant.

Many of applications have now been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the media, with many wondering why?

Innovative Idea

A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of early doubt, he considered the idea "visionary", and "advanced".

When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the atypical character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.

But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".

What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?

It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".

He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they did not want history to recur with their infant.

The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.

Subtle Influence

"A lot of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.

It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.

The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.

Expense Not a Factor

The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.

Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and open doors.

"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.

Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?

"Yes", said he. "The family understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.

Idealistic and Unrealistic

Several in the private teaching field who have those doubts.

Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

He noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.

"The idea that an individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can somehow transplant the qualities of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.

"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from infancy will does not automatically produce the result they desire.

"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live many of the experiences they desire for their son."

He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."

Acquiring Englishness

Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and sold.

"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating