Coaching a Baby to Become an 'English Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Cost?
"Parents based in north London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important part of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received interest throughout the press, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite early doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", said Adam. "They understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He noted that he had moved from China to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated knowing and living both cultures. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly transplant the qualities of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating