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"A household based in north London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."

When reading this advertisement, you might readily skip the term "beginning" as just an expression.

But, it could be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.

Hundreds of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".

In recent few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the media, with many asking why?

Progressive Approach

A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that in spite of initial scepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".

When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.

But, they clarified 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 by then taken hold".

What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?

It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".

He said the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their new baby.

The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.

Osmotic Learning

"A great deal of the development at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," explained Adam.

It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.

Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".

"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.

Cost Not Relevant

The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.

Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.

"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.

But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with anyway?

"Absolutely", replied he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.

Impractical

A number of in the tutoring industry who express similar doubts.

Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."

The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and living both cultures. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that an individual can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.

"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the outcome they desire.

"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."

He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."

Buying Britishness

Naturally, English culture is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and sold.

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