"Parents residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their most junior child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily skip the wording "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the media, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, said that in spite of first skepticism, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," said Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they aim to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", could the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and living dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically produce the outcome they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to live many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
