"A household located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to guide their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it could be the most significant aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the press, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that in spite of early scepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their infant.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically British tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily create the outcome they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
