"Parents residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily miss the phrase "beginning" as just figurative language.
However, it might be the most significant element of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have since been sent in since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention in the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, 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 stage "cultural bias had by then become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to instil.
Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the age of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the result they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
