"A household based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their smallest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant element of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest across the media, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that in spite of initial doubt, he found the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset 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 want to impart.
He explained the tutor must be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "They know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been educated experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can act as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can possibly impart the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a typically British tutor from infancy will will not necessarily create the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
