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"A family based in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."

Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.

Yet, it may be the crucial part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.

Many of responses have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".

During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted notice in the media, with many wondering why?

Innovative Idea

The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite first doubt, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual nature of their request, and how young their son is.

However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already set in".

What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?

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

He explained the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they did not want this pattern to happen again with their infant.

The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.

Natural Absorption

"Much of the learning at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the expert.

It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.

The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.

Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.

"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.

Yet, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?

"Yes", answered the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.

Impractical

There are some in the education sector who have similar reservations.

An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."

He explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and living both cultures. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.

"The notion that a single person can serve as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he commented.

"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the goal they desire.

"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."

He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."

Purchasing UK Culture

Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.

"In my view the reality that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating