"A household located in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unique job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been received since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite early doubt, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can in some way transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from infancy will not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
