"Parents located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled instructor to guide their most junior child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily miss the term "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant part of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have since been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the news, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that despite first doubt, he found the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told him they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – 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 told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share these doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can in some way transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
