"A family residing in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have since been received since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding initial doubt, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the atypical character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they aim to impart.
He explained the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who express those doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can act as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically British tutor from early childhood will not instantly create the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam hopes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
