Coaching an Infant to Become an 'British Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Cost?

"A family based in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the term "first-steps" as mere an expression.

Yet, it may be the most significant aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to find a teacher for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".

In recent few weeks, the post has gained attention throughout the news, with several wondering why?

Forward-Thinking Method

A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that despite initial scepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "advanced".

When he met the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.

But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then set in".

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

It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, how you speak".

He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their new baby.

The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.

Subtle Influence

"Much of the education at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the expert.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they aim to cultivate.

Adam explained the tutor had to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".

"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.

Expense Not a Factor

The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.

Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and provide access.

"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.

But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?

"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.

Overly Optimistic

There are some in the private teaching field who express those concerns.

Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."

The expert wrote that he had moved from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and living both cultures. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he stated.

"Based on my background, employing a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the result they desire.

"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."

He stated: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."

Purchasing UK Culture

Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and commercialized.

"I believe the reality that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating