"A household located in North London seeks an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained interest in the news, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner 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 told Adam they did not want this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant said 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 educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow 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 notes.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who have similar concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, having a typically British tutor from babyhood will does not instantly create the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
