Coaching a Toddler to Grow into an 'English Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Money?

"A household based in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple figurative language.

Yet, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of submissions have since been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".

In recent few weeks, the post has attracted interest throughout the media, with numerous asking why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he met the family, he said they recognized the unconventional character of their demand, and how young their son is.

However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then become established".

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

It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".

He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.

The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.

It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to instil.

Adam said the tutor must be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".

"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.

Money No Object

The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.

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

In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.

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

However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with anyway?

"Certainly", replied the CEO. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.

Idealistic and Unrealistic

A number of in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.

Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."

He explained that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been educated knowing and living two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

"The idea that a single person can act as a representation of Britishness, a person who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.

"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will will not necessarily create the result they hope for.

"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live several of the experiences they desire for their son."

He stated: "The fact is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."

Buying Britishness

Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and marketed.

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