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"Parents based in north London wants to find an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as just figurative language.

Yet, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted attention throughout the media, with numerous asking why?

Progressive Approach

The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".

When he spoke with the family, he said they recognized the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already set in".

But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?

It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".

He stated the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their younger child.

The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.

Subtle Influence

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

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

He said the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.

Expense Not a Factor

The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.

More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.

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

Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he is raised by regardless?

"Certainly", answered he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.

Overly Optimistic

A number of in the private teaching field who express these reservations.

Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

He wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.

"The idea that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, someone who can somehow transfer the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he stated.

"From my perspective, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the outcome they desire.

"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."

He continued: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."

Purchasing UK Culture

Certainly, Britishness is something the expert believes can be instructed – and marketed.

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