"Parents located in North London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily skip the wording "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family published their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention in the media, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that in spite of early skepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
But what does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid history to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically UK tutor from early childhood will does not instantly create the goal they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
