"A family located in north London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
However, it may be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest across the press, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding initial doubt, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He said the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
