"A household located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most significant element of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite first doubt, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they did not want the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds 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, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The parents know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who express those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the period of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can function as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily create the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
