"A household based in North London seeks an exceptional and skilled tutor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily miss the term "beginning" as simple figurative language.
But, it could be the most significant aspect of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received attention in the media, with several asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of initial doubt, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the start here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
However, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He noted that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and living two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can in some way transfer the qualities of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will will not automatically achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
