Coaching a Toddler to Become an 'English Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Investment?

"A household located in north London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."

Looking at this post, you might naturally miss the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.

But, it might be the most important part of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.

Numerous of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".

During the past few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the press, with several questioning why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that in spite of initial skepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical character of their demand, and how immature 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 elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".

What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?

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

He said the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.

The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," said Adam.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to impart.

Adam noted the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.

Expense Not a Factor

The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.

More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.

"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.

But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?

"Yes", replied he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.

Idealistic and Unrealistic

There are some in the private teaching field who express those concerns.

Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."

Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.

"The concept that one individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow transfer the qualities of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he stated.

"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the result they desire.

"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."

He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."

Purchasing UK Culture

Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.

"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating