"A family residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received notice in the news, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite first skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who express those reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating