Coaching a Toddler to Develop into an 'British Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Investment?

"A family residing in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to support their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."

Looking at this listing, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as mere figurative language.

Yet, it might be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a infant.

Numerous of applications have now been received since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".

In recent few weeks, the advert has gained notice throughout the press, with many wondering why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".

When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".

But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?

It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "How you eat, how you speak".

He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to him they did not want history to recur with their younger child.

The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.

Subtle Influence

"A lot of the development at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the expert.

It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.

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

"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.

More than that though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.

"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.

Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with in any case?

"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.

Overly Optimistic

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

Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."

Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that an individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.

"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the goal they want.

"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they desire for their son."

He stated: "The reality is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."

Buying Britishness

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

"I believe the fact that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating