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"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."

When reading this post, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.

But, it could be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a infant.

Many of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".

Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the press, with many wondering why?

Innovative Idea

The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, said that in spite of initial doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".

When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.

Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".

But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?

It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".

He said the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.

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

Natural Absorption

"Much of the development at the outset here is kind of osmotic," stated the CEO.

It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.

He noted the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.

Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.

"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.

But, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he resides with anyway?

"Yes", replied Adam. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.

Impractical

A number of in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.

An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."

Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he wrote.

"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the result they want.

"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they desire for their son."

He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."

Buying Britishness

Naturally, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and sold.

"I think the fact that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating