Coaching a Baby to Become an 'English Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Investment?
"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified instructor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the crucial aspect of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual character of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "They realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who express similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can function as a representation of Britishness, a person who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating