"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most significant aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been received since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first skepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to instil.
The consultant said the tutor must be someone who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The parents know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who have those reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will will not automatically produce the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
