"Parents based in north London seeks an extraordinary and skilled tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily miss the wording "beginning" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have now been received since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest across the news, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding early skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", said the CEO. "They know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who have those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living both cultures. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
