"A family based in North London wants to find an remarkable and qualified educator to guide their smallest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the wording "beginning" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first scepticism, he found the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the atypical nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed him they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they want to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor must be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, despite all this instruction in "English culture", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", replied he. "The parents realize this may not work, 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 explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not instantly achieve the result they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
