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"Parents based in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to support their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.

Yet, it may be the most significant element of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a infant.

Hundreds of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".

During the past few weeks, the listing has received notice across the media, with many asking why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that despite early skepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "progressive".

When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".

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

It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".

He said the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.

The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.

Natural Absorption

"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.

It's via this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.

He noted the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.

Expense Not a Factor

The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.

Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and create opportunities.

"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.

However, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?

"Certainly", said the CEO. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.

Overly Optimistic

There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.

Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

Peter wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.

"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.

"In my experience, having a distinctly English tutor from infancy will does not automatically produce the result they want.

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

He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."

Purchasing UK Culture

Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.

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