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"A family residing in North London wants to find an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.

But, it may be the crucial part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.

Hundreds of submissions have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".

Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the press, with several questioning why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that in spite of first scepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then become established".

What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?

It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".

He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.

The plan: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.

Subtle Influence

"A lot of the learning at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.

It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.

Adam noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.

Cost Not Relevant

The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.

More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.

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

Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?

"Certainly", said Adam. "The family realize this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.

Impractical

A number of in the education sector who share these reservations.

Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

The expert explained that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.

"The concept that a single person can act as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he commented.

"From my perspective, having a distinctly English tutor from infancy will does not instantly achieve the goal they desire.

"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the situations they desire for their son."

He stated: "The reality is, self-identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."

Purchasing UK Culture

Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.

"In my view the fact that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating