"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to guide their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained interest in the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of first skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unusual nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been educated knowing and living both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can in some way impart the qualities of a English gentleman onto a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert believes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
