"A household based in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been received since the unidentified family published their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice across the media, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who express similar doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can somehow transfer the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
